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oDesk - The Future of WorkMon, 02 Mar 2015 16:35:18 +0000en-UShourly1Perspectives on the Future of Work: February 23https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/02/future-of-work-february-23/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/02/future-of-work-february-23/#commentsMon, 23 Feb 2015 13:45:10 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=34352What's the latest news about the future of work? This week's roundup highlights human resources ‘must-haves’ for winning the talent war, the personality trait that distinguishes entrepreneurs from employees, and the strength of the European startup community.

From more effective leadership to better collaboration and training opportunities, Galar says businesses can’t hold back now or fail to plan for the next few years. “2015 looms as a ‘do or die’ year for organizations that depend on quality, qualified people to leap ahead of the competition.”

The U.S. isn’t the only home for successful startups: European startups are attracting more investors and enough talent to thrive. Alex Depledge, CEO and co-founder of Hassle.com, and Julien Codorniou, director of partner platforms at Facebook, write that part of the European startup community’s success comes from its past struggles.

“Over the years it’s been much harder for Europeans to access venture capitalist funding,” they said. “This legacy means that European startups have had to operate under huge pressure to develop business plans that were viable from day one.”

Depledge and Codorniou add that this pressure, combined with other challenges like the recession and the fractured European marketplace, force startups to adapt in ways that make them stronger and better prepared for expansion.

What differentiates people who run their own companies and people who work as employees? A desire for job or income security is one factor, but Drake Baer reports that it isn’t the only one.

“According to a 2013 Swiss-German study, the difference lies in disposition: While an employee is a specialist, an entrepreneur is a jack-of-all-trades,” he wrote. Even an internship or apprenticeship can predict against entrepreneurship, as they help lead to specialization.

The study’s authors found that broad experience and a large personal network also support entrepreneurship, thanks to the diversity of relationship as well as viewpoints. “None other than Steve Jobs used to say that creative people have a more diverse ‘bag of experiences’ than everybody else,” Baer said.

What news about the future of work has caught your attention recently? Tell us about it in the comments below!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/02/future-of-work-february-23/feed/0Vivino’s Distributed Team Uncorks World’s #1 Wine Apphttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/vivino-wine-app-distributed-team/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/vivino-wine-app-distributed-team/#commentsThu, 22 Jan 2015 14:00:23 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=34144When the team at Vivino said they wanted to create the biggest wine database in the world, founder and CEO Heini Zachariassen says people told them they were “completely nuts.” In this interview with oDesk, Heini explains how, by recruiting remote data and Agile engineering teams, they didn’t just build that database — they launched the world’s largest wine community.

]]>When the team at Vivino said they wanted to create the biggest wine database in the world, founder and CEO Heini Zachariassen says people told them they were “completely nuts.” By recruiting remote data and Agile engineering teams, they didn’t just build that database — they launched the world’s largest wine community.

Vivino is a wine app that’s attracted nearly 8 million users. Using a photo of any wine label, users can access and add to the information available for a particular wine like region, grape, pricing, and crowdsourced reviews.

Heini says it took a lot of hard work to build and scale the database, but they were able to make it happen affordably with remote support. “As soon as a user scanned a bottle that we didn’t know, it went to our data team, and we built the data and came back to the user.”

As Heini explains in this interview with oDesk, it took just a few weeks for the development team to have the first version of the app up-and-running.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/vivino-wine-app-distributed-team/feed/1Is Remote Customer Service the Secret to Startup Growth?https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/remote-customer-service-secret-to-startup-growth/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/remote-customer-service-secret-to-startup-growth/#commentsWed, 21 Jan 2015 14:00:00 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=34137When the team behind messaging app Tango started to feel bogged down, they realized that their customer service team needed to scale up — and fast. In this interview with oDesk, marketing manager Art Grigovia explains how their remote team started with one freelancer, and why it quickly grew from there.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/remote-customer-service-secret-to-startup-growth/feed/3Startup Crafts Success with Remote Zendesk Support and Database Teamshttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/crafting-database-makers-remote-zendesk-customer-support-team-startup-success/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/crafting-database-makers-remote-zendesk-customer-support-team-startup-success/#commentsTue, 20 Jan 2015 14:00:03 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=34127Is hiring remote talent inevitable for a startup these days? Mike Salguero, CEO of CustomMade, thinks it is. In this interview with oDesk, he explains why remote teams have become such a critical part of his orgaization.

]]>Your startup may be in an urban hub, but that doesn’t mean the talent you need is around the corner. That’s why Mike Salguero, CEO of Boston-based CustomMade, thinks using remote talent is “pretty much inevitable for a startup these days.”

CustomMade connects “makers” across the U.S. and Canada — artisans, designers, and other crafters — with people who want custom-made products. The biggest problem on launch was finding a lot of makers who would be a good fit for the platform.

“As a customer, if you know what you’re looking for, it’s actually really hard to find a maker who can make it,” Mike said.

CustomMade first turned to oDesk to help with maker acquisition, then again to build their customer support team. As Mike explains in the video below, they’ve ultimately used oDesk to build an organizational structure that’s powered by freelancers.

CustomMade didn’t set out to build a remote team. But when they first tried to hire a local support person, they spent four months looking and came up empty-handed.

“It’s hard to vett the people, it’s hard to recruit them, it’s hard to get them in and retain them,” Mike said. So, as he explains in the following video, look beyond Boston was the next step. CustomMade found people who not only had the extensive Zendesk experience they were looking for, but who also love the work and aspire to do more.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2015/01/crafting-database-makers-remote-zendesk-customer-support-team-startup-success/feed/0Wondering About Benefits for U.S. Freelancers? Join this Webinar on November 19https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/11/benefits-for-us-freelancers-webinar-november-19/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/11/benefits-for-us-freelancers-webinar-november-19/#commentsMon, 17 Nov 2014 17:00:57 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=33776Finding great benefits at an affordable price is a real challenge for U.S. freelancers, whether you’re looking for health and dental insurance for yourself or liability insurance for your business. That’s why Elance-oDesk is partnering with Freelancers Union to deliver the National Benefits Platform. Want to learn more? Freelancers Union is hosting a webinar this Wednesday, Nov. 19, to outline benefit options and answer your questions.

]]>Finding great benefits at an affordable price is a real challenge for U.S. freelancers, whether you’re looking for health and dental insurance for yourself or liability insurance for your business.

That’s why Elance-oDesk is partnering with Freelancers Union to deliver the National Benefits Platform, a program launched in October that offers a new support system for independent workers.

Better access is important, but you should also understand what benefits you need and how the National Benefits Platform works. Freelancers Union is hosting a webinar this Wednesday, Nov. 19, to outline benefit options and answer your questions.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/11/benefits-for-us-freelancers-webinar-november-19/feed/1New Platform Offers Benefits to U.S. Freelancershttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/10/national-benefits-platform-elance-odesk-freelancers/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/10/national-benefits-platform-elance-odesk-freelancers/#commentsTue, 07 Oct 2014 12:10:13 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=33491In an economy where nearly 1 in 3 people is an independent worker — more than 53 million Americans — freelancers know firsthand that the way we work is changing. Often, the services they need haven't kept pace. That's why Elance-oDesk and Freelancers Union, the leading freelancer advocacy group in the U.S., are joining forces to help professionals get the support they need to thrive through the National Benefits Platform.

]]>In an economy where nearly 1 in 3 people is an independent worker — more than 53 million Americans — freelancers know firsthand that the way we work is changing. Often, the services they need haven’t kept pace.

That’s why Elance-oDesk and Freelancers Union, the leading freelancer advocacy group in the U.S., are joining forces to help professionals get the support they need to thrive.

The National Benefits Platform, now available to Elance-oDesk freelancers in the U.S., is built by and for the independent workforce, offering tailored benefits like health care and 401(k)s, as well as life, disability, and liability insurance for freelancers in all 50 states.

Getting support through a program tailored to your needs can be the difference between winning or losing a contract. “I was in the process of collecting estimates from a few different sources — beyond the couple that rejected me outright because they don’t cover writers,” said Colleen Diamond, a content developer, writer, and editor.

Colleen needed a small professional liability policy, but the options she had wouldn’t work for her business. She was facing quotes of $1,400, “largely because the carriers would not separate out the professional liability from public liability and property damage coverage, but also because they did not seem to understand the small risk my case presented.”

Through the National Benefits Platform, she got insurance from a company that understood what she needed.

“They quoted me on a professional liability policy for $500, just $41 /month. All those days spent filling out applications, and this company approved me on the spot. Big difference!”

Without that coverage, she says, she would have had to let a writing contract go. “More and more publishers and other companies hiring for creative content require that we show proof of insurance when we finalize our contracts.”

“Business as usual” has changed, and professionals have the flexibility to work anytime and anywhere — if they have the support they need. Elance-oDesk and Freelancers Union are working together to find ways to help us all all build more stable, healthy lives.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/10/national-benefits-platform-elance-odesk-freelancers/feed/7A How-To Guide for Your Perfect Profile Picturehttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/10/how-to-guide-perfect-profile-picture/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/10/how-to-guide-perfect-profile-picture/#commentsThu, 02 Oct 2014 12:30:10 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=33425Your profile is how you present yourself to the world, telling prospective clients about your skills and experience. But what does your profile picture — and the image it conveys — say about YOU? Here are a few tips to help you make a great first impression.

]]>You have excellent experience and top-notch skills, but you’re having a hard time landing a job. Sound familiar? If so, consider the first impression your profile makes with prospective clients.

Your profile is how you present yourself to the world. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, what does your profile picture say about you? Does it say you’re friendly, professional, and easy to get along with?

Clients look at profile photos to get a sense of who you are…and if they don’t see a photo that conveys friendliness and professionalism, you may get overlooked. To help you attract clients and stand out from the crowd, keep these guidelines in mind when you’re snapping your pics.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/10/how-to-guide-perfect-profile-picture/feed/6Perspectives on the Future of Work: September 15thhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-15/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-15/#commentsMon, 15 Sep 2014 12:59:40 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=33259oDesk's weekly column brings you the latest news on hiring and managing teams, freelancing, and the future of work. This week's roundup highlights the importance of learning for both leadership and productivity, advice for entrepreneurs with their sights on significant growth, business wisdom from an unexpected source, and tips for people who get trapped by their own perfectionism.

Feeling bored or unmotivated at work? Do you perform the same ritual every day with little or no satisfaction? Personal growth is central to leadership and productivity, but author Bill Taylor wonders whether people have lost sight of that in the rush to compete with everybody else.

In 1990, the late John W. Gardner, a former Stanford Professor, delivered a speech that has since circulated among countless business professionals. “Boredom is the secret ailment of large-scale organizations,” he said. “Someone said to me the other day ‘How can I be so bored when I’m so busy?’ I said ‘Let me count the ways.'”

Gardner warned that ambition was not enough to assuage the “same old, same old.” Instead, he claimed that “Everyone wants to be interesting, but the vitalizing thing is to be interested… As the proverb says, ‘It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.'”

Some entrepreneurs endeavor to reach and surpass a six-figure revenue bracket. But William Hirsch, CEO of The Elevation Group, told writer Cheryl Conner that thinking too far ahead can be detrimental. “The skills that get your firm to seven digits, if you get there, are the very traits that will cause you to fail as you strive to get from seven digits to eight,” she said.

How can you move past those hurdles?

First, Hirsch explains that humility is essential. He also describes six factors that he feels every business needs to get on the path to growth, from the importance of building an organization with integrity to remembering that “Your success is directly proportional to the number of people you help.”

Let’s face it: 19th century literature doesn’t top the list for business advice. A particularly unlikely source might be Leo Tolstoy, the late Russian novelist who wrote epic literature like War and Peace, about Napoleon’s 19th century invasion of Russia, and sexy love affairs like Anna Karenina.

On the other hand, Ray Hennessey, Entrepreneur.com’s editorial director, found plenty of relevant and inspirational quotations that apply directly to today’s entrepreneur — particularly those that allude to patience, time, determination, and control over success.

For example, an entrepreneur should never fear competition. Tolstoy supports this axiom (among others) in War and Peace: “One must be cunning and wicked in this world.”

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-15/feed/05 Best Online Swift Courses for Developershttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/5-best-online-swift-courses-developers/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/5-best-online-swift-courses-developers/#commentsFri, 12 Sep 2014 12:30:56 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=33253The newly launched Apple Watch isn't the only thing set to change app development. Swift is a new programming language from Apple — one that could quickly replace Objective-C as the OS X and iOS coding language of choice. How can you add this new language to your programming toolbox? Here are five great courses that are already up and running.

“This includes not only an integrated development environment, or IDE — an interface where coders can actually write their software — but also various other tools, such as a debugger that can help weed errors from their code.”

Swift works with Objective-C, which means developers have options. The TIOBE Index of programming languages — an interesting way to gauge developer mindset — already places Swift in the #18 slot. With iOS 8 set to roll out on Sept. 17, use of Swift is only expected to pick up.

How can you add Swift to your programming skills? Start by downloading the reference eBook directly from Apple, free on the iTunes store: The Swift Programming Language. Then, check out one of these five great courses:

Thinkful programs are delivered one-on-one with a mentor, and are designed to take three months to complete. This program aims to take you “from your first ever line of code to your first app in Apple’s App Store.”

Online iOS Bootcamp is a full-time eight-week program. Led by instructors and working with peers, Bootcamp is an intense course that goes from coding to building an app. There are online and in-person class options.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/5-best-online-swift-courses-developers/feed/3Perspectives on the Future of Work: September 8thhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-8/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-8/#commentsMon, 08 Sep 2014 12:45:08 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=33196oDesk's weekly column brings you the latest news on hiring and managing teams, freelancing, and the future of work. This week's roundup highlights the security gap a lot of businesses forget when it comes to cloud-based apps, advice for managing a distributed team, why your organization should have a work-life vision, and encouraging a more 'mindful' work environment.

A recent survey found that a lot of small businesses are leaving their data exposed: your former assistant may no longer work for you but, unless you’ve cut their access to cloud-based applications, they can still access your business files.

Many businesses don’t take steps to limit access to and/or cancel a team member’s cloud-based accounts when they move on. Michael Gold, president of Intermedia and Osterman Research, says every business should have specific measures to prevent lingering access as part of the off-boarding process.

Gold’s company conducted a survey of more than 400 businesses and found that the majority of former employees can still access critical systems like email, PayPal, SharePoint, or SalesForce. To protect your business, he suggests writing a detailed checklist of all shared accounts and apps and regularly changing all relevant passwords.

Despite the number of tools available, communicating effectively with a virtual team is more difficult than it may seem. Tom Gimbel, president and CEO of LaSalle Network, says there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but offers these four ideas to help make your virtual management a success:

Technology: Research available software that can help you collaborate and communicate effectively with your team. Skype and Google Hangouts may be popular, but consider the benefits and limitations of each one as they relate to your specific business needs.

Communication: Communicate directly with your team and learn to use clear and concise language. Doing so will save everyone valuable time.

Goals: Gimbel suggests setting time-specific deadlines, instead of day-specific deadlines, then following up with a phone call or video chat to check on progress. Set reminders for yourself to help you remember to reach out.

Reachability: Working with a distributed team means you may need to communicate with your team at different times of day — when you may not be used to working. Flexibility is important if you want to maintain consistent and effective communication with your team.

Research shows that professionals are achieving a better work-life balance — even if it doesn’t always feel that way. The culprit? The difference between policies and culture.

“An organization’s work-life culture – all the unwritten yet well understood norms and expectations about how people are supposed to work, and what it means to be a good employee – has enormous power over behavior,” wrote Monique Valcour, professor of management at EDHEC Business School in France.

She recommends that business leaders create a work-life vision, something she describes as “an overarching point of view that is compelling to people and provides guidance to their daily behaviors, decisions, and practices.”

In other words, a work-life vision can encourage teams to modify behavior and, in effect, redefine their culture so it accurately reflects the balance an organization is aiming for.

Young entrepreneurs may appear to have all the energy and new ideas, but older and more experienced entrepreneurs boast significant advantages. Margaret Manning, founder of Sixtyandme, offers four reasons why experienced entrepreneurs have an edge.

First, they bring years of business skills and experience to the table. Also, since they have more experience interacting with a variety of people, they have a better sense of empathy and perspective.

Furthermore, they are often financially independent and don’t necessarily face the same funding challenges as new entrepreneurs.

Finally, business and personal connections are key to the success of most businesses, and experienced entrepreneurs can have the complete package: a network that boasts both professional and familial contacts.

First, devote time for yourself by scheduling a specific number of minutes each day — then sticking to your plan. Next, practice group meditation, then find a meditation guide to help maximize mindfulness.

Check your “achievement-oriented attitude” at the door and focus instead on the present moment. Rest is critical, so quash insomnia once and for all by avoiding your tech devices at night. Finally, remember to breathe and count, which can bring an immediate calming effect.

Has any news about the future of work caught your attention in the past week? Tell us about it in the comments below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-8/feed/0Perspectives on the Future of Work: September 2ndhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-2/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-2/#commentsTue, 02 Sep 2014 16:00:47 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=33128oDesk's weekly column brings you the latest news on hiring and managing teams, freelancing and the future of work. This week's roundup highlights the kind of support teams need to thrive, how professionals are finding success on YouTube, a test to see whether you're a workaholic, and a look at what the most productive people know about crafting a good to-do list.

“Who helps the helpers?” Marissa Brassfield asks, noting that behind every successful entrepreneur is a competent and reliable team. However, even the most capable team member needs extra guidance and support.

Brassfield suggests that an entrepreneur should have multiple support systems to help their team members perform at their best. Some of her suggestions include creating mentorship opportunities and providing access to training — both for work skills and developing good habits. These additional resources, she says, will help the team thrive.

While their research has shown that a lot of people (i.e. 8 in 10 Norwegians) are “addicted to work to the point that it affects their health,” they note that “workaholism” isn’t a formal, medically recognized diagnosis. That means there’s no treatment plan or recognized way to successfully ease the stress.

Whenever you create a to-do list, the default first step is to prioritize it. One problem is that everything on the list becomes a priority — and the lower-priority items you’ll “do later” never make the cut.

Executive coach Ed Batista encourages professionals not only to prioritize but also to recognize the limitations in doing so.

Instead of focusing on a prioritized list, Batista recommends a triage approach: focus on high-impact activities and purposely ignore tasks that aren’t. “Remember,” Batista said, “this is not about making a list but deciding where the cut-off point is and sticking to it.”

What news caught your attention this week? Share it in the comments below!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/future-of-work-september-2/feed/0Work & Travel: A Beginner’s Guide for Digital Nomadshttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/work-travel-beginners-guide-digital-nomads/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/work-travel-beginners-guide-digital-nomads/#commentsTue, 02 Sep 2014 13:00:45 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=33114Leaving a 9-to-5 job for the freedom to work anytime and anywhere may seem like living the dream — but it's also an intimidating leap of faith. The "Digital Nomad Playbook" is a free eBook from Elance-oDesk that shows aspiring nomads where to start. Written by Dan Andrews and Alex McQuade of Tropical MBA, it's packed with advice and resources, from pro tips on gear to savvy business advice.

Becoming a Digital Nomad is life changing, and the playbook is loaded with resources and recommendations that can help you move from cubicle to cabana. It’s a four-week plan to untether your life by learning about yourself and turning your skills into a sustainable business.

In the Digital Nomad Playbook, Dan and Alex explain:

how to find your lifestyle baseline, from getting your finances organized to choosing a place to start your new journey

what to pack and where to start

how to build a team to support your business — and why you need one

how to connect with other experienced Digital Nomads

Becoming a Digital Nomad can help you achieve both your personal and professional goals. You don’t need a traditional job to succeed — you just need to identify the things that matter to you, then lead your life in that direction. Click here to start your journey!

How has being a Digital Nomad changed your life? If you have a story to share, or a question to ask, share it in the comments section below. Happy travels!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/09/work-travel-beginners-guide-digital-nomads/feed/3Distributed Engineering eBook: Hire Fast & Build Thingshttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/08/distributed-engineering-ebook-hire-fast-build-things/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/08/distributed-engineering-ebook-hire-fast-build-things/#commentsThu, 28 Aug 2014 13:00:37 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=32864A bona fide talent war in the tech industry is making it tough for companies to attract the skilled pros they need to make things happen. But there’s a new way to work: high-performing distributed engineering teams.

"Hire Fast & Build Things" is a new eBook from Elance-oDesk that explains—in step-by-step detail—how to recruit and manage a top-notch team of distributed engineers.

]]>If you’re in the tech industry, chances are you’ve felt the pinch: there’s a bona fide talent war going on. Startups and smaller innovators have an especially tough time competing with tech giants who offer over-the-top incentives.

There’s a new way to work: high-performing distributed engineering teams.

Hire Fast & Build Things is a new eBook written by Stephane Kasriel, Elance-oDesk’s senior VP of engineering and product. It explains—in step-by-step detail—how to recruit and manage a top-notch team of distributed engineers.

“A distributed team isn’t nice to have; it gives you a real competitive edge in the talent war. But our clients often ask how to get started—and how to pull it all together,” Kasriel explained.

Companies don’t have the time or resources for trial-and-error. Hire Fast & Build Things offers an in-depth look at how our development process works.

oDesk (which recently merged with Elance) has relied on virtual teams for the last nine years, as online work shifted from unconventional to the norm. Our distributed engineering team includes 12 product managers, 20 engineering leads, 100 developers, and 30 test engineers.

But hiring well isn’t just a matter of finding someone with the right skills; they need to quickly and successfully integrate into your product and team.

“My team has drawn experience from established open source communities and companies like GitHub and Automattic to learn their best practices and find out how they might apply to our work,” said Kasriel.

Hire Fast & Build Things explains how you can:

Hire the best engineering talent regardless of location

Structure your distributed dream team

Establish effective remote work practices

Create a shared infrastructure

Build a strong company culture

Building a virtual team can give your company the ability to be fast and flexible, to grow quickly and cost effectively. Are you ready to build your own dream team?

Download the eBook and discover new ways to win the race to find the best talent: hiring the best engineers, regardless of location.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/08/distributed-engineering-ebook-hire-fast-build-things/feed/2The Hero’s Journey: Adapting To The New World of Workhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/08/heros-journey-adapting-new-world-work/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/08/heros-journey-adapting-new-world-work/#commentsFri, 15 Aug 2014 13:00:22 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=32992The road ahead isn't business as usual. A new report from Deloitte traces a roadmap through the new business landscape, flagging pressures for both companies and individuals trying to find a way forward.

In "The Hero's Journey Through the Landscape of the Future," Deloitte's Center for the Edge looks at how the Big Shift — a combination of technology and public policy trends — is changing the way we work and what it takes to stay competitive.

]]>The road ahead isn’t business as usual. A new report from Deloitte traces a roadmap through the new business landscape, flagging pressures for both companies and individuals trying to find a way forward.

“A new economic landscape is beginning to emerge in which a relatively few large, concentrated players will provide infrastructure, platforms, and services that support many fragmented, niche players,” the report’s authors predict.

What does this mean for freelancers and businesses? Here’s a look at how “The Hero’s Journey” maps it out.

…the road ahead for freelancers

A tough economy has created an uncertain job market, leaving many people struggling to get by while at the same time, doing your own thing is more accessible than ever.

As barriers to entry, commercialization and learning are cut back, people are finding that “they have the ability to participate in numerous communities, unlimited by geography, where they can build knowledge, develop skills, and find collaborators,” the report’s authors wrote.

“These communities facilitate learning across all aspects of design and commercialization of products, and they can accelerate learning for everyone, especially for participants who actively seek out opportunities to learn and share.”

As a result, many people are embracing their inner entrepreneur, “driven by a desire for autonomy, flexibility, or alignment with personal values.” A growing number of people are launching businesses that serve niche markets — something the report authors call fragmentation.

Like most ventures, these small fragmented businesses popping up are not all destined to grow. In fact, “The Hero’s Journey” explains three challenges they’ll face:

Lower growth. The nature of this highly focused fragmentation means “long tail” opportunities with less potential for growth and smaller total returns.

Shorter life cycles. Product life cycles aren’t what they used to be, thanks to the fast pace of innovation and intense competition.

A fight for talent. Top talent may not stick around; they have the same opportunity as everyone else to pursue projects that help them reach their own personal goals.

…the road ahead for corporations

Looking at several documented cases of U.S. companies struggling, “The Hero’s Journey” says organizations need to decide where and how they’ll focus their efforts.

The report describes three types of businesses that will fill specific roles:

product and service providers,

infrastructure businesses,

customer relationship businesses.

“Many established companies today play multiple roles and participate in multiple, if not all, types of the businesses discussed,” the authors wrote. “For many companies, pursuing all three business types concurrently will become less and less sustainable.”

That diversity, they explain, is currently seen as a strength — or at least a comfort. But the approach lacks focus and encourages internal competition because each business unit operates independently and typically possesses different economics, skill sets and cultures.

Instead, the report says, focus will be the key to staying competitive in the future. Specializing in one area will facilitate learning, cut internal politics, bring clarity to the work being done, and provide new opportunities for collaboration.

“The Hero’s Journey” also recommends that businesses target the infrastructure or customer relationship business roles.

Why? Products and services are the most likely business types to become fragmented, which could create a challenging environment within large companies that are often less nimble than startups and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Also, organizations will need to be more customer focused and that might ultimately mean connecting customers “to whatever products and services might be most relevant, regardless of who develops and produces them.”

Fragmentation and collaboration

“Most of the value in this new business landscape will come from the relationships within the ecosystem,” the authors say.

That means that placing an emphasis on collaboration over competition will be critical to the growing numbers of small players joining the freelance movement. “There are two broad categories of interaction in this ecosystem: transactions between the fragmented and consolidated players and broader collaboration among all players across the ecosystem.”

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/08/heros-journey-adapting-new-world-work/feed/1Global Online Work Report Shows Hot Jobs & Skillshttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/06/global-online-work-report-shows-hot-jobs-skills/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/06/global-online-work-report-shows-hot-jobs-skills/#commentsFri, 20 Jun 2014 16:00:17 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=32679What are the hottest jobs in the online marketplace? While the Global Online Work Report from Elance-oDesk shows that traditionally in-demand skills are still going strong, the highest-growth categories show that the digital workforce is hitting a more mature stride.

]]>What are the hottest jobs in the online marketplace? While some of the traditionally in-demand skills are still going strong, the highest-growth categories show that the digital workforce is hitting a more mature stride.

Elance-oDesk, the global leader in online work, recently released a Global Online Work Report, which draws on the largest and most comprehensive set of data available regarding independent work that’s happening online.

“Never before have we enjoyed such visibility into work — from the number and nature of jobs, to demand for skills, to where and how the work gets done,” said Fabio Rosati, CEO of Elance-oDesk.

“Our goal is to put a world of talent in the hands of businesses and billions of dollars in the pockets of independent professionals,” he added.

More than 1.2 million jobs have been posted to Elance-oDesk so far this year. It’s an efficient way to find work and do business; most jobs are filled within three days.

As Rosati told the Washington Post, the global marketplace helps bring balance between regions with thousands of vacancies, and regions where skilled people are looking for work.

Opportunities for freelancers = Better access for businesses

Businesses will spend more than $900 million hiring online in 2014. So what are the best opportunities for contractors? The report highlights five of the hottest skills right now:

Customer Support

Social Media Optimization

Mobile Advertising

3D Modeling & Animation

Data Science

When it comes to broad categories of work, however, the most in-demand skills may not be what you think.

A look at global freelancer earnings so far this year shows that Technology jobs lead the way, with Admin Support and Writing & Translation rounding out the top three categories.

Demand for skills in these areas has traditionally been strong, both around the world and here in the U.S., so it’s not surprising that the volume is so high.

However, a look at the highest-growth areas flips the earnings chart around.

Engineering & Manufacturing and Legal skills don’t get much of the earnings pie yet — just 1 percent or less, respectively — but the year-over-year growth in these areas is impressive.

Demand for Legal services has increased 56 percent, with experience in patent law earning the highest average rates on the Elance-oDesk platform.

Jaleh Bisharat, senior vice president of marketing for Elance-oDesk, says the growth in these areas reflects broader trends — including the need for more science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals.

“We already know that growth in STEM jobs, in the U.S. and elsewhere, has outpaced growth in other areas of work, and that the supply and availability of professionals hasn’t kept pace,” she explained.

Bisharat added:

“The online growth of STEM-related work shows businesses are discovering that the global talent pool offers more options — whether that’s an ongoing relationship or one that’s project based.”

The growth of Legal services, on the other hand, shows that online work is maturing, Bisharat says. Both businesses and professionals have increased trust in this new way of working.

“There’s a perception that online work isn’t a great option for jobs that are generally seen as happening offline, but that’s not the case,” she noted. “These numbers show that more traditional professionals are turning to the online market, and an increasing number of clients are finding them there.”

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/06/global-online-work-report-shows-hot-jobs-skills/feed/0Perspectives on the Future of Work: May 5thhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/05/perspectives-future-work-may-5th/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/05/perspectives-future-work-may-5th/#commentsMon, 05 May 2014 13:14:47 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=32398oDesk’s weekly column brings you the latest news on hiring and managing teams, freelancing, and the future of work. This week we discuss how a new labor movement is taking shape, changing company culture in established organizations, the death of the office, and the spread of entrepreneurialism.

Freelancers everywhere “value time, well-being, and community as much as a paycheck, and they want their consumption to match their ideals,” wrote Sara Horowitz of the Freelancer’s Union.

To make that happen, she says, we need to create an ecosystem of organizations that support those same ideals—not unlike the unions that formed at the beginning of the 20th century.

“They served as vehicles to build the community as a whole—in the factory, in the halls of government, and in their workers’ neighborhoods,” she explained, describing a new era of “social unionism” that’s starting to emerge.

Startups have a relatively fresh slate when it comes to building company culture. When an organization is decades old, however, it can seem like an uphill—if not impossible—task. When François Nader took the helm of NPS Pharmaceuticals, he knew something had to change. But how?

“Anyone can write down words, call them values, and incur no change,” Nader explained. “Something has to be done to turn them into an actual culture.” In this HBR article, he explains the six rules he followed to successfully create real change within the company.

Is office life coming to an end? Maybe, maybe not—but, as Jennifer Miller observes, it certainly isn’t what it used to be. Introducing a recently released infographic from Intuit, she notes that “seventy-eight percent [of people surveyed] said they’d forego free meals and 31% would take a salary cut for the privilege of working at home.”

Highlighting the benefits of remote work and looking ahead toward the office of the future—even what will happen with bring your own device (BYOD) policies—this infographic illustrates how our work environment, and what we value, has evolved. [Update: an interactive version of this infographic is available.]

For many people, Samantha Papadakis says, the image of an entrepreneur is someone in flip-flops and a hoodie, who makes a cool app with startup funds, then sells it for billions of dollars a few years later.

That sterotype isn’t just inaccurate, she writes, it also does a disservice to the many entrepreneurs working outside the spotlight—on their own projects, or jumping in to help other organizations. Papadakis profiles several Millenials who are using their creativity and drive to make changes through work they love doing.

What news about the future of work have you been talking about this week? Tell us about it in the comments below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/05/perspectives-future-work-may-5th/feed/1Perspectives on the Future of Work: April 28thhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/04/perspectives-future-work-april-28th/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/04/perspectives-future-work-april-28th/#commentsMon, 28 Apr 2014 13:16:11 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=32352oDesk’s weekly column brings you the latest news on hiring and managing teams, freelancing, and the future of work. This week we discuss the cultural shift behind the sharing economy, remote team management and leadership, "flattened" organizational structures, and compensation across several startup hubs.

The sharing economy has grown from a fringe movement into a legitimate economic force — and it’s built on a system of trust that may not have been possible even five years ago.

“This is not just an economic breakthrough. It is a cultural one, enabled by a sophisticated series of mechanisms, algorithms, and finely calibrated systems of rewards and punishments,” wrote Wired executive editor Jason Tanz. Are we truly ready for such a high level of trust? Tanz delves into that question with a look at the carrots and sticks this emerging model relies on.

Leading a team that isn’t right in front of you takes a different approach. What can help make such a remote relationship ultimately successful? As Guy Clapperton found out, social networks — any network, not just Facebook or Twitter — play an important role, as does a management approach that allows autonomy and aims to put “the right tasks in the hands of the right people.”

Communication technology is the tool that helps remote teams collaborate around the world. But what are the IT considerations that bring long-distance teams together? Alison Coleman turned to several executives for their essential apps and recommendations.

Have organizations like Zappos and Southwest Airlines really “flattened” their organizational structures? Forbes contributor Steve Denning says “No.” It’s not a shift of responsibility, he argues, but a change in attitude. “A manager after all is simply someone who is responsible for getting things done,” he wrote.

Denning says the modern system relies “more on… accountability to someone who knows something rather than to someone simply because they occupy a position, regardless of competence.” Moving to this system requires not just a different approach to management, he explains, but a different way to talk about change.

Companies in major innovation hubs like Boston, New York, and Silicon Valley may not always be open to remote workers, but job hunters looking outside those centers may find a better payoff. Looking through job listings on startup platform AngelList, TechCrunch contributor Danny Crichton noted that, while salaries in the Valley might be higher, equity packages were notably smaller.

“Perhaps startups outside of the Valley have a harder time getting access to talent, and thus are willing to increase the incentives,” he suggested. He also found that, while a majority of startups in those hubs do hire remote workers, companies based elsewhere are more open to non-local applications.

What news items caught your attention this past week? Share them in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/04/perspectives-future-work-april-28th/feed/0Is Your Business Ready for a Virtual Assistant?https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/04/business-ready-virtual-assistant/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/04/business-ready-virtual-assistant/#commentsWed, 02 Apr 2014 16:10:59 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=32111Try as you might, you can't do everything yourself if you want to grow your business. It's one thing to accept that; it's another to actually welcome someone new, like a virtual assistant, to share your work. When you've relied on a team of one, how can you feel confident that someone else will understand your priorities, motivations, or rationale? Three professionals explain their experience and advice for those preparing to take the next step.

]]>Try as you might, you can’t do everything yourself if you want to grow your business. “If you’re a one-person shop, eventually your availability will max out. Trust me, I’ve been there,” Matt Keener, the Executive in Sweatpants, wrote recently when explaining key signs it’s time to get help.

It’s one thing to accept that you can’t do it all on your own; it’s another to actually welcome someone new into your business. When you’ve relied on a team of one, how can you feel confident that someone else will understand your priorities, motivations, or rationale?

“I think trust is the biggest factor,” confirmed Lee Drozak, a virtual assistant (VA) who specializes in web marketing and WordPress. But trust isn’t the only challenge; bringing a new team member on board can be a lot of work — especially if you don’t find the right person.

The secret to success? Drozak and two professionals who’ve used VAs to support their work, Nick Loper and Jenna Weiner, explain their experience and advice for those preparing to take the next step.

Yes, it takes time to train a virtual assistant

“We can come up with a lot of excuses when it comes to hiring someone to support our businesses,” said Nick Loper, the entrepreneur behind Side Hustle Nation, who has been working with VAs for nearly 10 years.

“When you’re already up to your neck, it can be hard to believe it’s worth the extra time to bring someone on board,” he said. “You have to invest time up front; the benefit is the long-term payoff. Even if it takes an hour to prepare — even if it takes one or two days — consider the break-even point of never having to do that activity again.”

Loper notes that documentation became important when he started working with a VA. “All my processes were in my head,” he recalled. “I created some training materials, then we spent time reviewing things together and sharing the information.”

You also need to learn to let go. “My VA is free to edit my processes and procedures if she finds a better way,” he said. “My way isn’t necessarily the single best way to do it.”

Be specific about what you want a virtual assistant to do

What can a virtual assistant help with? Jenna Weiner, content strategist at Dropbox and former editor-in-chief of the oDesk blog, says it’s not just what someone else can do. You also need to decide what you actually want to hand off.

“There are some things you simply won’t be comfortable having someone else do,” she explained. “But — depending on your relationship — a VA can help with everything from research, to data entry, to tasks that involve making judgment calls.”

Loper agrees. “Do what’s right for your business, so you can focus on strategic stuff. But don’t get rid of all the fun stuff; you’ll lose the things you enjoy in your business.”

Drozak adds that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for advice. “Asking how an assistant can help you is a realistic conversation to have; there may be things you’re not thinking about,” she said. “But it’s an open-ended question; you need to listen to what they tell you.”

Find the right match for you — and for them

Drozak says you must be prepared to bring a VA into your business. “When you have the budget, the mindset, and the goals in place, it will more often be a successful relationship than not.”

Budget matters more than some people think. “If you’re penny pinching, it makes the relationship tough because you want all this stuff done but don’t have the money.”

You also need to think beyond hard skills. “Where do you see yourself in a few years with the person you’re going to hire?” Drozak asked. “If your needs are short term, it doesn’t matter as much. But if you want to hire someone who will grow with your business, your long-term goals need to be aligned.”

For example, how do they feel about being a business owner — do your business philosophies match up? Are your business practices a good fit for their routine? Are your personality styles complementary?

The best way to get these answers is to connect in person — whether physically, on the phone, or via video conference. “Always have a conversation as part of the hiring process, and trust your gut instinct,” Drozak said. “Your instincts will tell you a lot more than an email or an RFP.”

Confirm your choice with a test project

Weiner had a VA to support her work at oDesk. To ensure she was getting the information she needed, she used test projects as part of the hiring process.

“Effective use of a VA depends on your ability to trust that they will deliver what you need,” Weiner said. “Test projects are a great way to confirm whether your work styles are a good fit, too.”

She suggests a small assignment (1-5 hours) that’s comparable to the work they’ll be doing for you. “I found it helpful to assign small projects I’d already done, because I could then compare results. Sometimes, I found that VAs did an even better job because they had more expertise in a particular area or industry.”

Loper also relies on test projects, and emphasizes that it’s not just whether a candidate does the project, but how they do the work.

“Yes, you need to find someone who can follow instructions without a lot of help,” he said. “But if I’ve made myself available to answer questions or otherwise help, and someone who’s new to me and my business doesn’t take time to ask anything, the lack of initiative is an easy way for me to screen people out.”

Depending on your needs, it’s not unusual for someone to hire a team of VAs, each with different areas of specialization. With thoughtful planning and preparation, expanding beyond your team of one can give you the time you need to focus on the activities that matter most!

Whether you’re a virtual assistant or an entrepreneur, what advice do you have for people who want to hire a VA? Share your advice in the comments section below!

“I get inspiration and levity from new environments while furthering the marketing career I’m working hard to build,” she recently told Tanya Mohn in an interview for Forbes about becoming a successful Digital Nomad.

Determined to live and work abroad from the moment she graduated from college, but not sure how to turn that aspiration into a career path, Russell started by teaching English in Ecuador.

That was 10 years ago, and she’s learned a lot during her travels. She also takes advantage of the many digital tools that are now available, like apps, gadgets, and more reliable Wi-Fi.

“I’ve extracted a lot of advice from travel blogs, many of which [either] focus on personal growth through storytelling or chronicle a journey via Instagram, but I’ve had to assemble the more practical advice myself.”

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/03/ally-top-10-lifehacks-digital-nomads/feed/210 Unique Website Layouts to Inspire Youhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/03/10-unique-website-layouts-to-inspire-you/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/03/10-unique-website-layouts-to-inspire-you/#commentsThu, 06 Mar 2014 14:00:22 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=31805Whether you’re creating a portfolio, promoting an app, or introducing your business to potential customers, you want your website to stand out and be memorable, while also effectively capturing and holding visitors’ attention. But when you want to do something a bit different with your design, it can be hard to think beyond the site templates we see most often. With a mix of personal projects and business sites, these professional websites will hopefully spark new ideas and inspire you to break the web design mold, helping you make a website that’s both memorable and effective.

]]>Whether you’re creating a portfolio, promoting an app, or introducing your business to potential customers, you want your website to stand out and be memorable, while also effectively capturing and holding visitors’ attention. As anyone who has tried to make a website knows, that can be a tall order.

The first stumbling block typically happens at the ideation stage, often when you’re looking for design ideas to send to your web designer for guidance. When you want to do something a bit different with your design, it can be hard to think beyond the site templates we see most often.

To get your creativity flowing, here are 10 of our favorite fun and unique website layouts to inspire you. With a mix of personal projects and business sites, these professional websites will hopefully spark new ideas and inspire you to break the web design mold, helping you make a website that’s both memorable and effective.

Personal portfolios and projects

1. Adam B. Becker: Portfolio site with unique navigationWebsite navigation is pretty standardized, and with good reason: people are used to seeing links at the top of the page, for example, so that’s where we look for them. That’s what makes this atypical design engaging—not necessarily intuitive, but interesting to explore.

2. Bullet Journal: How-to instructions in a one-page designCreated by art director Ryder Carroll, Bullet Journal is a note-taking style that Carroll explains in this one-page site design. Describing his concept with simple explanations and a diagram that updates as you progress through the directions, it’s a thoughtfully done how-to page.

3. Ctrl Alt Delete: Facts and ideas, one-page design
A promotional site for the book Ctrl Alt Delete by digital marketing expert Mitch Joel, this website uses one-page design and parallax scrolling to make it feel like you’re turning through a flip book. As you scroll through the site, images and information flow across the page—a modern and engaging effect.

4. Kevin Kim: Resume information in a one-page designWhen it comes to putting your resume online, it’s easy to set up your LinkedIn profile and call it a day. This site from Kevin Kim shows how you can share your resume online in a way that’s unique and interesting, and showcases both your skills and personality.

5. Kristi Hines: Highlighting a freelance writer’s workOn the practical side of things, Kristi Hines (perhaps more well-known as @kikolani on Twitter) has done a great job with the difficult task of highlighting her services as a freelance writer, blogger, and consultant. If you browse through portfolio websites, you’ll find that most of the great-looking ones look good for a reason—they’re owned by illustrators, designers, or other creatives. Writers tend to go for clean and basic; while this site reflects those qualities, too, it does so in a way that’s fresh and more visual than its peers.

6. Stuck In Customs: Portfolio balanced with information resourcesTrey Ratcliff is a photographer who’s known not only for his photos but also the resources he provides for aspiring photographers. His website highlights both, but places a significant emphasis on his photography—which makes perfect sense for someone whose portfolio is so captivating.

Business sites

7. GoodUI: Sharing ideas with a focus on conversionUnsurprisingly, the Good UI page isn’t complex; in fact, it’s about as basic as you can get. Focused on getting conversions without being “spammy,” the page hosts a running list of simple user interface (UI) ideas—many of which are reflected in the design of the page itself—and it ends with an invitation to sign up. That’s it. The site very subtly showcases the work of Linowski Interaction Design, the company behind the project. And, with some 35,000+ people now subscribed to the GoodUI newsletter, it’s a simple and focused concept that seems to work.

8. Unstuck: App promotion with information resourcesUnstuck is an app that helps people get through moments where they don’t know what to do or where to start, so it’s little surprise that the app is featured front and center, along with a video that shows how it works (something some apps forget about). As you scroll down the page, you’re introduced to the concept behind the product and connected to other information they’ve put together. This makes for a nice blend of product promotion and useful information—something that can be hard to balance without getting cluttered or off-focus.

9. Purple Orange: One-page design makes PR engagingPublic relations is one of those behind-the-scenes industries that people know exists, and know it can be helpful, but don’t really know how it works or what it looks like. Rolling through the who, what, where, how and why behind their business, Purple Orange explains in a dynamic way what they do and why it matters.

10. Woodwork: Vertical designThe website for Woodwork—a film, graphics and production company—stands out not just because of their noteworthy portfolio but also because they’ve done something that seems relatively rare online: they designed vertically. The site scrolls sideways, and you can click on any image that catches your eye to watch the video or learn more.

Now it’s your turn: What unique website layouts have caught your eye? Share the link (and why you love it) in the comments below. Or if you’re ready to get started on designing your website, check out oDesk’s listings of freelance web designers.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2014/03/10-unique-website-layouts-to-inspire-you/feed/6Year in Review: Insights From oDesk Execs in 2013https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/year-review-insights-odesk-execs-2013/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/year-review-insights-odesk-execs-2013/#commentsMon, 30 Dec 2013 17:00:26 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=30458From the controversial Yahoo remote work announcement to new research on the next generation of workers, we’ve found plenty to talk about in 2013. Over the past year, oDesk executives have shared their thoughts on these topics and more, many drawing from their personal experiences to explore the rapidly shifting world of work. In revisiting 2013's archives, we've pulled together this list of articles; glance through to see the discussions we’ve shared this year!

]]>From the controversial Yahoo remote work announcement to new research on the next generation of workers, we’ve found plenty to talk about in 2013. Over the past year, oDesk executives have shared their thoughts on these topics and more, many drawing from their personal experiences to explore the rapidly shifting world of work.

In revisiting 2013’s archives, we’ve pulled together this list of articles; glance through to see the discussions we’ve shared this year!

Women around the world

Working Moms and the Advice We Give Our Daughters: Women 2.0, April 2013
In a year where work/life balance was a hot topic and books like Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In made waves, oDesk VP of Marketing Jaleh Bisharat reflected on her career decisions and the impact they’ve had on her family.

Millennials: The newest generation of professionals

In Defense Of Millennials: LinkedIn Influencers, September 2013
A quarter of new businesses are started by people between the ages of 20 and 34. In this column for LinkedIn, Swart stepped up in defense of Millennials, writing that ”never before…has there been such an entrepreneurial generation.”

It’s Not What You Know, But What You Can Do: Vator TV, June 2013
A new job market reality is emerging—one where career prospects are determined not by educational pedigree, but by skills. In this post, Swart outlined what this shift means for recent graduates.

Five Brand Habits Of Successful Businesses: Huffington Post, November 2013
Drawing from her experience establishing brands for OpenTable, Jawbone and Amazon.com, Bisharat shares five habits that can help companies build strong brands.

Did we miss any of your favorite oDesk articles from the past year? Share them in the comments section below!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/year-review-insights-odesk-execs-2013/feed/2How Freelancers Can Help You Celebrate More & Stress Lesshttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/freelancers-can-help-celebrate-stress-less/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/freelancers-can-help-celebrate-stress-less/#commentsTue, 17 Dec 2013 15:00:28 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=30525With holidays and the end of the year looming, many business owners are burning the midnight oil—not just at work, but also with personal commitments to family and friends. Bringing freelance help on board gives you an extra pair of hands to help power through your to-do list. Here are 10 ways freelancers can help you manage the holidays and go full steam ahead into 2014.

]]>With holidays and the end of the year looming, many business owners are burning the midnight oil—not just at work, but also with personal commitments to family and friends.

Bringing freelance help on board gives you an extra pair of hands to help power through your to-do list. Here are 10 ways freelancers can help you manage the holidays and go full steam ahead into 2014.

2. Prep your website for the holidays

If you expect a rush of web traffic over the next few weeks, get your website ready: you can find a web designer to review your site and recommend steps that will make your site more user-friendly—and more conversion-friendly—today.

3. Send deals to delighted customers

One way to get an end-of-year boost in sales is to offer your fans a deal or discount. Wondering the best way to approach it? Connect with an email marketing specialist who can design a promotion that will get attention and attract sales.

4. Thank clients with a custom holiday card

E-cards are a cost-effective way to connect with customers during the holidays and thank them for their business. If you’re short on time and know-how, a graphic designer can help you create a custom card that will look great and won’t get distorted when it loads in someone’s inbox.

5. Have a bookkeeper prep your tax information

From bookkeeping records to forms you need to distribute to staff or contractors, compiling your records is necessary—and time-consuming, especially if you’ve been too busy to stay up to date during the year. Save yourself the stress and hire a bookkeeper who already knows what they’re doing to prep everything you need for your accountant and the taxman.

Launch into 2014

6. Turn mobile app dreams into reality

If you’re wondering whether an Android or iOS app is the right step for your business, you don’t have to muddle through the process alone. A mobile app developer can help you decide what functionality is appropriate for your needs, then create it for you.

7. Boost Facebook likes

Keeping up with the changes to Facebook marketing can be a job in itself. Luckily, there are social media specialists who have the knowledge and expertise to do it for you! They can help you come up with—and carry out—a new marketing strategy to maximize your imprint on the Facebook community.

8. Improve your website’s search engine rank

There’s one constant when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO): you need to have good, relevant content on your website to rank well in search results. Writing and researching both topics and trends takes time, but an experienced content writer can help you build a solid library of information.

9. Refresh your website

It’s easy to put off a website redesign, but if your website isn’t equipped to support your big plans for 2014, this is a good time to start thinking about a redesign. An experienced web developer can help create a site that will bring you closer to your marketing and conversion goals.

10. Improve your customer service

Your customers expect a timely response when they reach out with questions, comments or problems. Whether you need ongoing help or just a boost to keep up with seasonal demand, a skilled support representative can field requests, respond to questions, and follow up when needed.

How to hire a freelancer

If you haven’t hired a freelancer before, or aren’t sure the best way to do so via oDesk, our Client Resource Center has all the information you need to build your remote team today and on an ongoing basis.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/freelancers-can-help-celebrate-stress-less/feed/0Finding The Right System: Editorial Calendars And The oDesk Bloghttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/no-system-is-perfect-editorial-calendars-and-the-odesk-blog/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/no-system-is-perfect-editorial-calendars-and-the-odesk-blog/#commentsMon, 16 Dec 2013 22:30:45 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=30432What tools keep a blog rolling forward, week after week—even year after year? No two blogs are alike, but after working together for more than two years, the oDesk blog team thought we'd share some of our hits and misses from editorial content management tools we've used.

]]>What tools keep a blog rolling forward, week after week—even year after year? No two blogs are alike, but after working together for more than two years, the oDesk blog team thought we’d share some of our hits and misses from editorial management tools we’ve used.

Our core team of three people works across different time zones and has varying availability: Jenna Weiner works at oDesk HQ full time as content marketing manager and the blog’s editor-in-chief, while Julia Camenish and I are solo professionals who also have other clients and commitments.

To keep all of us on the same page, our editorial calendar and management system needs to provide a quick and easy way to track:

the upcoming blog schedule

posts to be written by our team (versus guest posts and other contributions)

the topic of each post to be written, ideally with a brief outline

due date, and (to a lesser extent) publication date

the author of each post

current status (i.e. where in our workflow it is)

We also need a system that is accessible to everyone and easy to use. We’re tech-savvy people, but can’t put the blog in limbo while we tackle a steep learning curve.

Truthfully, we’re still experimenting—and realizing that even the smoothest system has its hiccups.

Phase 1: Who doesn’t love a spreadsheet?

Our first editorial management system was as unflashy as you can get: a multi-tab spreadsheet shared via Google Documents. One tab showed a day-by-day publishing schedule, the other listed all upcoming posts—both pending and actively in progress.

In some ways, this system was ideal:

all the information was in one spot

we could all access and update the file

the spreadsheet could be sorted to suit individual needs: by deadline, topic, author, etc.

Eventually, however, the system started to fall apart. Maintenance wasn’t impossible or even particularly difficult—something I think is true of a lot of systems. However, it wasn’t efficient.

Eventually, we stopped tracking the details of upcoming posts and focused only on the publishing schedule. However, that meant each of us keeping our own tabs on who was working on which article, as well as its current status.

Phase 2: Discovering Edit Flow

With our spreadsheet up and running, we heard great things about a WordPress plugin called Edit Flow. What features came out on top?

Custom status designations in the WordPress “posts” view. In addition to the standard “Draft,” “Scheduled” and “Published” tags, we also created “Pitch,” “Assigned” and “In Progress.”

A calendar view. This is fantastic if you have posts already in the WordPress system; you can view the calendar and drag-and-drop the posts as needed.

We had high hopes for other features but couldn’t adapt our workflow to use them. Maybe it was a “learning curve” issue, but while we all wanted to like it, it seemed to fall short as a sustainable process.

“Collaborating inside of WordPress just seems clunky to me,” said Camenish. “Yet it also seems as if we’d save some time if all edits and such were accomplished inside WordPress instead of shuttling articles back and forth between different programs.”

Phase 3: A Google comeback, and the introduction of Asana

“Asana has been great so far,” said Weiner, who also uses it to track other projects. “It keeps everyone on the same page asynchronously, unlike email, so it is there when you need it but doesn’t create extra work.”

It was also easy to create a setup that worked for us:

We created a shared blog “workspace,” visible only to our team, with several projects: Posts, Pitches and Editing.

Within those projects, we can all see what tasks and related subtasks are on the go—as well as their respective deadlines.

Each task has its own conversation thread. This lets us share ideas, ask questions and make comments in one spot.

Asana creates a calendar of deadlines to add to Google Calendar—something our whole team uses—and sends email alerts about new tasks and any updates.

In short, Asana’s framework has been flexible enough for each of us to adapt it to our individual preferences.

More recently, we decided to move our editorial schedule from the spreadsheet to its own Google Calendar; since we all use our calendars regularly, we thought this might make information sharing more fluid among our team and allow us to collaborate more easily with others—like Alexia Nielsen, oDesk’s social marketing manager.

This switch gave us the most up-to-date information right in our calendars, automatically updated to reflect recent changes. And while calendars don’t sync with Asana, we were able to verify the schedule and upcoming deadlines on a weekly basis. (We could, that is, until last week when our Google Calendar sharing stopped working; the Google Enterprise team is working on a bug fix.)

So, no editorial management system is foolproof. But we’re still looking: there are other tools we’ve considered or used for other purposes—including Dropbox, Evernote, and Tracky—and more tools come available on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

What systems do you use to manage your blog or social media content? Please share your own recommendations and experiences in the comments below!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/12/no-system-is-perfect-editorial-calendars-and-the-odesk-blog/feed/5Self-Employed & Loving It: Pros of All Ages Choose Independencehttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/10/mbo-partners-independent-workers-report/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/10/mbo-partners-independent-workers-report/#commentsThu, 03 Oct 2013 13:00:23 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=29720There are 17.7 million independent workers in the U.S. at the moment, according to the newly released State of Independence in America report from MBO Partners, and they are overwhelmingly satisfied with the path they've taken.

“Most independents choose and plan to continue this path because they want control over their lives, including the ability to determine when, where and what type of work they do,” the report’s authors explain, citing a survey of more than 4,000 independent workers in the U.S. That sense of being in charge is what has even more professionals poised to join their ranks—regardless of age.

]]>There are 17.7 million independent workers in the U.S. at the moment, according to the newly released State of Independence in America report from MBO Partners, and they are overwhelmingly satisfied with the path they’ve taken.

“Most independents choose and plan to continue this path because they want control over their lives, including the ability to determine when, where and what type of work they do,” the report’s authors explain, citing their survey of more than 4,000 independent workers in the U.S. That sense of being in charge has encouraged even more professionals to join the growing ranks of independent professionals—regardless of age.

From Millennials who’ve just hit their 20s to Mature workers (68+), going independent doesn’t always happen by design, but most feel it’s a career choice with great rewards and increasingly fewer challenges. Gen Xers even noted that they see being self-employed as less risky—and more secure—than traditional employment.

Further emphasizing that independents are thriving, 77 percent say they plan to stick to the status quo or get bigger; 1 in 7 intend to grow their business, and a quarter of solo professionals say they’ve hired other freelancers.

That economic impact—what the report’s authors describe as “bottom-up economic development”—is having an impact on the sluggish U.S. economy. As Gene Zaino, CEO of MBO Partners, highlighted in the Q&A with oDesk below, this “hidden job engine” cannot be ignored.

[extracted from “2013 Independent Workforce.” Click for full infographic.]

What did you find to be the most compelling finding of this year’s report? What was the most surprising?

The most surprising finding is that rather than considering themselves freelancers or contractors, the majority of independent workers see themselves first and foremost as “self-employed.” That was an aha moment.

[Extracted from “2013 America’s Independents.” Click for full infographic.]

If you could ensure that the whole U.S. population knew one finding from the report, what would that be?

That independent workers love their chosen lifestyle. They are the most satisfied group, with only 1 in 7 ever wanting to return to traditional employment.

The same goes for U.S. policymakers—what do you wish they knew about the independent workforce?

That independent workers are America’s hidden job engine. Independent workers hired the equivalent of 2.3 million full-time workers into contract roles in the past year.

Of America’s nearly 18 million independent workers, 14 percent, or 2.5 million, want to go on to build a bigger business, up from 12 percent a year ago. These solopreneurs and micropreneurs need our support, and should not be ignored—they should be galvanized to reach further.

What is the biggest misconception the general public has about independent work?

That it’s for those who couldn’t find a job. The data shows the opposite is true. The majority of independents choose to go solo, and are not forced onto the path.

Any predictions for next year’s report?

Bigger numbers and an even higher rate of economic impact. Most independents are mature, seasoned work contributors—and they aren’t going back. They are earning more, finding more support and seeing less challenges. We may be even closer than we think to a 50/50 workforce I predicted at GigaOm’s annual work conference some years ago.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/10/mbo-partners-independent-workers-report/feed/4Top Talent Values Flexibility, But Face Time Still Mattershttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/08/top-talent-values-flexibility-face-time-still-matters/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/08/top-talent-values-flexibility-face-time-still-matters/#commentsMon, 12 Aug 2013 13:21:17 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=29318Flexible work arrangements are more common than some news headline might lead you to believe, and it's something top talent place a high value on. A recent report busts through some commonly held assumptions about flexible work arrangements (FWA) and highlights challenges that businesses face when implementing — or rejecting — a results-based "anytime, anywhere" approach to work.

]]>A recent report from Catalyst, a think tank focused on women in business, busts through some commonly held assumptions about flexible work arrangements (FWA) and highlights challenges that businesses face when implementing — or rejecting — a results-based “anytime, anywhere” approach to work.

The Great Debate: Flexibility vs. Face Time “establishes that FWA programs, contrary to the current buzz [generated by Yahoo and Best Buy], are indeed alive and well, are widespread across all types of organizations, are desired by young and old employees throughout the pipeline, and that lack of access to FWAs has serious consequences for top talent, especially women,” wrote the report’s authors, Anna Beninger and Nancy M. Carter.

This flexibility research draws on a survey of 726 MBA graduates, which analyzed the perspectives, experiences and priorities of top talent — what Beninger and Carter call “high potentials” — working in for-profit and non-profit organizations around the world. Here are some of their more myth-busting findings.

Parents and Millennials aren’t the only ones who value freedom at work

However, the Catalyst report makes it clear that you don’t need to be under 30 or family-minded to highly value being in control:

Flexible work ranked as very or extremely important across every level of leadership, and the mean age of people who listed it as a top motivator was 41 years old.

People who don’t have kids were just as likely as parents to list flexible work as important.

Women are more likely to say flexible work arrangements are important to them, but “both women and men report using most FWA options to the same extent throughout their careers,” the report noted.

Flexible or not, there’s a gender gap when it comes to face time

While use of flexible work arrangements by men and women is fairly balanced, women are more likely to work often or entirely remotely.

“Women (39%) were more likely than men (29%) to report using telecommuting frequently, very frequently, or always over the course of their careers,” according to the survey results.

In contrast, men lean towards options that minimize any impact on face time in the office: flexible arrival and departure times topped the list of preferred arrangements for men, who were also “almost twice as likely to report that they have never telecommuted over the course of their careers.”

Even in a remote work environment, face time matters — particularly when it comes to building relationships. The benefit of showing up in person is what some experts call passive face time.

As a result, a preference among women for telecommuting may have a negative impact on promotions, salary increases and team dynamics if the organization’s leadership doesn’t take steps to mitigate the difference.

Flexibility encourages high aspirations, especially among women

However, there are very real benefits to flexible work programs, including one that may come as a surprise: Denying access to flexible work arrangements forces many “high potentials” to drop their aspirations. The report found that 90% of people in environments with flexible work arrangements aspired to senior executive/CEO level but, where flexible work wasn’t an option, that percentage rolled back to 77%.

Particularly among women, lack of access to flexible work arrangements has an even more profound impact — perhaps causing many to wonder whether they truly can have it all.

“83% of women with access to FWAs aspired to the C-Suite level vs just 54% of women without FWA access,” the survey found. While Beninger and Carter don’t explain the 30% drop, they do note that women without access to flexible work arrangements are “twice as likely as men to downsize their aspirations.”

To read more about the report’s findings — and find out what your organization can do to be an “employer of choice” — download the full report from the Catalyst website here.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/08/top-talent-values-flexibility-face-time-still-matters/feed/2Connecting HQ And Your Remote Team: An Interview With oDesk’s IT Managerhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/07/connecting-hq-and-your-remote-team-an-interview-with-odesks-it-manager/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/07/connecting-hq-and-your-remote-team-an-interview-with-odesks-it-manager/#commentsTue, 09 Jul 2013 18:43:38 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=28925When it comes to connecting your remote team with a central office, flashy can be fun — but also expensive and potentially unnecessary. How do you build an infrastructure that enables your team to succeed wherever they are, without going overboard? In this Q&A, oDesk’s IT Manager Gordon Thomas shares his practical approach to tech and how it might transfer to other businesses.

]]>When it comes to connecting your remote team with a central office, flashy can be fun — but also expensive and potentially unnecessary. How do you build an infrastructure that enables your team to succeed wherever they are, without going overboard?

Gordon Thomas, oDesk’s IT manager, takes a practical approach to this issue, drawing inspiration from an unlikely episode of Cold War history.

When Russian pilot Viktor Belenko defected to the West in 1976 with a newly built MiG-25 “Foxbat” fighter jet, American engineers were “astounded to discover that the Russians had used rivets on positions of the wing instead of welds — [the latter being] a much stronger, but more complex and expensive, way of joining metal together,” Thomas recounted.

“However, the Russians — due to their comparatively limited resources — had discovered where they needed to use welds, and where rivets would suffice,” he continued. “That story has always stuck with me, and I constantly ask myself: Do I need to use a weld here? Or will a rivet work just as well?”

Thomas says people have a tendency to embrace new IT systems and solve problems that may not actually matter. Instead, he recommends that each business “look at how they work versus how they want to work, and focus on creating a simple, reliable platform to support their ideal.”

How does this simplicity manifest at oDesk headquarters? In this Q&A, Thomas explains the values that have shaped oDesk’s IT backbone, and how they might transfer to other businesses.

How would you describe oDesk’s IT setup?

Our IT team strives to embrace oDesk’s core values regarding freedom and loving the way you work. We do everything we can to create a level playing field between our remote users and those in the office, so individual employees can decide how and where they want to work without being hindered technologically. Naturally there are some physical items, like printers, that are still “office only.” But in every way possible, we try to move systems and security beyond our office walls.

oDesk has a very open, collaborative office space. Is that something that also factors into your IT planning?

Everyone, from founders to interns, sits together in workspaces in a large open environment. That means there’s a lot of physical movement as people shift between common areas and conference rooms to collaborate across different teams.

oDesk co-founder Odysseas Tsatalos and CEO Gary Swart, at their seats in the open office space

The resulting need for portability led us to really embrace ultrabooks; the light weight and long battery life is essential for this sort of environment. We have also heavily invested in our wireless network — especially when it comes to roaming between access points — so users don’t feel tethered to their desks. Conference rooms are probably where we invest the majority of our resources, though. We have a home-grown telepresence system that we use to connect our users from around the world with each other and the main oDesk office. We are constantly trying to improve the fidelity of these systems; we want our employees to feel like they can be a part of a collaborative team no matter where they are physically located.

With such a focus on remote work and flexible workspaces, what are your primary considerations?

In general, it requires powerful collaboration tools and a concerted effort to move data/security/compliance away from physical networks as much as possible. We try to move everything we can into redundant cloud environments.

This is also good for security: we have a mindset that every device and network is potentially hostile and compromised. As a result, we don’t take for granted that anything is ever “safe,” and aggressively target threats in a systemic fashion.

Where do you think businesses can splurge? Where can they save?

I don’t think there is ever a reason to splurge on anything — you either need the technology, or you don’t. Deciding which requires a lot of observation and research. Also, something that makes a lot of sense one year might be a poor investment the following year.

Planning and diligence can do a lot to reduce costs. Sometimes a crisis is unavoidable, but there are ways to plan for crises and have a solution ready. It’s also important to remember that cash is not the only cost that technology can incur — downtime and training, for example, are all costs to consider.

What technology do you use to connect your remote team members? Share your solutions in the comments below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/07/connecting-hq-and-your-remote-team-an-interview-with-odesks-it-manager/feed/0Evolving Office Space Designs Put Cubicle Farms Behind Ushttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/06/evolving-office-space-design-put-cubicle-farms-behind-us/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/06/evolving-office-space-design-put-cubicle-farms-behind-us/#commentsWed, 12 Jun 2013 17:30:19 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=28798For many, the office has already left the building. However, with a majority of people continuing to check in at the office, where work happens is still a hot topic for discussion. Luckily, organizations are increasingly ditching the “cubicle farm” vibe for friendlier office space design.

]]>If you step into oDesk’s headquarters, you’ll find walls covered in dry-erase and chalk boards, live creative mood boards, splashes of color and bold iconography. “These design choices really help stimulate and encourage creativity and collaboration among teams,” explained Art Director Lorena Pinon. “The wall doodles, wireframes and sketches left behind help spark up conversations and interest among other teams.”

oDesk isn’t alone. Businesses increasingly recognize that work environments make a difference; the cool office spaces that were once the domain of creative and tech companies have spread to banks and law firms.

Businesses that fail to focus on “transforming where and how work gets done rather than what type of work gets done” will find it hard to adapt in a cost-effective way to the workplace of tomorrow, according to a new study from the Deloitte Center for the Edge.

For many, the office has already left the building; according to Forrester’s 2012 Workforce Employee Survey, those working in an office at least once a week dropped from 100 percent in 2010 to 89 percent in 2012.

However, with a majority of people continuing to check in at the office, where work happens is still a hot topic. In response, an increasing number of organizations are picking up on this craving for flexibility and more creative surroundings, and are ditching the “cubicle farm” vibe for friendlier office space design.

Changing Office Space

“The office as work center has become less essential,” says the Urban Land Institute, highlighting the ongoing reduced demand for office space.

At oDesk, the writing is (often) on the wall.

That this change is partly motivated by the bottom line is clear: In a survey of UK companies by Rackspace Hosting and the Manchester School of Business, 71 percent of respondents said remote work helped cut office expenses, by an average of $320,000 (USD) a year.

However, it’s not just about cutting costs; a global survey into new ways of working found that while space optimization and cost savings are leading factors, employee work/life balance, attraction and retention — even productivity — are close behind.

“The traditional office was designed to house people doing their own tasks,” John Peets, vice president of leasing for Oxford Properties Group, told the Globe and Mail earlier this year. “The future is doing knowledge work in collaboration on devices that don’t need to be plugged in at a desk.”

Ready to start your own workspace redesign? The Deloitte report identifies three main goals to keep in mind:

Define high-impact challenges: Help workers and teams focus on areas of highest learning, business impact and sustainable improvement.

Strengthen high-impact connections: Make it easier for people to build relationships both inside and outside the organization.

Open Workspace Reflects oDesk’s DNA

When redesigning oDesk’s office, Pinon sought to create a space that projects confidence and promotes collaboration using deliberate style choices — like streamlined furniture, careful use of color, and conference rooms that reflect oDesk’s global reach.

“A working collaborative space should represent the people who work in it,” explained Pinon. When people are at ease, she said, they’re more likely to produce their best work.

“In my opinion an office space should feel like a home, in essence,” she added. “It should project personality, voice and productivity, giving the visitor a feeling of ease, trust and comfort. We all know how to be good hosts at home; that’s also an integral part of office design.”

What’s changed within your office space to make it easier to connect, collaborate and communicate? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/06/evolving-office-space-design-put-cubicle-farms-behind-us/feed/0Perspectives on the Future of Work: The Book Editionhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/04/perspectives-on-the-future-of-work-the-book-edition/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/04/perspectives-on-the-future-of-work-the-book-edition/#commentsTue, 23 Apr 2013 16:00:10 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=28289There was a time when physically being in the office was a logistical requirement. There was also a time when making an impact necessitated the strength of an institution — not just your own good ideas. Today, the world of work has shifted. This selection of recently and soon-to-be-published books explore not just what has changed, but how individuals and organizations can adapt and thrive in this new reality.

How Work Has Changed For Individuals and Organizations

Throughout history, there have been pivotal technology advancements that revolutionized the workforce. In The New World of Work, Tim Houlne and Terri Maxwell define the current movement “from the cube to the cloud” as one of those transformative shifts — one they feel people need to embrace or risk being left behind.

The ones who succeed, they say, will “see the benefit of the change rather than [only] the change itself.”

The New World of Work is a guidebook to help individuals retool their skillsets and compete in the world of online work. It also shows businesses how to win the war for talent and maximize the potential for success through virtual hiring.

In a recent interview with oDesk, Maxwell compared the current situation to that of displaced agricultural workers during the industrial revolution.

“Other than a few rare exceptions, those who refused to embrace technology and instead chose to stay with the farm…also went down with the farm,” she explained.

Houlne and Maxwell say the future workforce will likely be increasingly driven by virtual, contract work. The current work revolution, they believe, is still in its infancy.

The social era “starts with a single connected human,” she explained during a recent presentation to Google, “whether or not you belong to an organization or work for an organization [is] pretty much a secondary effect.”

The challenge for individuals, she says, is to think about the value we each bring and how best to direct that energy. “If I’m a lego block,” she continued, “what are the other lego blocks I want to join with so I can start creating value?”

Merchant says that organizations, on the other hand, need to explore ways to engage those connected individuals and ask themselves, “Why are we all together?”

For companies that get it, she wrote on the Harvard Business Review blog, “notions like distributing power to everyone, working in extended community to get things done, or allowing innovation to happen anywhere and everywhere are, well, ridiculously obvious.” Companies that don’t do so, she added, are destined for failure.

For a closer look at this book and Merchant’s theories, check out our recent blog post here.

“When I began my career, everyone ‘went’ to work,” wrote tech industry veteran Maynard Webb in the intro to his rebooting work manifesto.

It was a time, he explained, when work couldn’t logistically take place outside of the office: From access to computer power to paper-based inboxes and no voicemail to capture missed calls, “offices and office hours actually made sense.”

“Now,” he concluded, “it’s an unbelievably outdated concept.”

Written with journalist Carlye Adler, Rebooting Work captures Webb’s belief that traditional models no longer work. Instead, as he told TechCrunch earlier this year, he feels that “everybody needs to realize that their future is in their control.”

We don’t all share a common path to success, however, so Rebooting Work offers advice tailored to four different mindsets:

Company Man or Woman

CEO of Your Own Destiny

Disenchanted Employee

Aspiring Entrepreneur

This advice is intended to help each type of person thrive in their life and work. As Webb explained to Forbes, “The framework distinguishes between those who are self-motivated and those who are waiting to be discovered, those who are happy and those who are unfulfilled… It’s designed to help individuals become accountable for their own success.”

At 37signals, he explained, they get together several times a year to see each other in person and have fun. “Because that’s what it’s important for: Having a good time. It’s far less important as a tool of getting things done.”

Jason Fried, one of the co-founders of 37signals, is Hansson’s co-author on Remote: Office Not Required, a book set for release in September 2013.

After years of asking people where they go when they really need to get something done, Fried noticed a pattern. “You almost never hear someone say ‘the office,’” he told the crowd at TEDxMidwest in 2010.

“Businesses are spending all this money on this place called ‘the office,’ and they’re making people go to it all the time. Yet, people don’t do work in the office.”

Remote will explore why more businesses should look at the distributed team model and explain how to establish a remote setup that works.

“They do some unusual things [at WordPress.com] most workplaces would never do,” Scott Berkun wrote on his blog when he announced that he was well into his book — since named The Year Without Pants — about his time with the 100% distributed company.

Scheduled for release in September 2013, The Year Without Pants will explore his experiences with WordPress.com, both good and bad, but also look at how the workplace has changed.

“One theme of my upcoming book is questioning aging work practices,” he wrote, citing a list that includes everything from dress codes to measurement by time, not performance.

While Berkun isn’t all for abandoning more traditional practices that work, he says it’s important to look at what helps each individual perform. “Any unilateral decision by an executive about how creative people work is a mistake,” he blogged about Yahoo!’s decision to eliminate remote work.

“Not all remote work plans are managed well,” he continued, implying that there’s much to be learned from companies that are successfully distributed. “Remote work as a concept is probably not the problem.”

What recently published books about the future of work have landed on your bookshelf lately? Are there any you would recommend? Tell us about books that have caught your attention in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/04/perspectives-on-the-future-of-work-the-book-edition/feed/0The Rise of the Extended Workforce and its Impact on HRhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/04/the-rise-of-the-extended-workforce-and-its-impact-on-hr/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/04/the-rise-of-the-extended-workforce-and-its-impact-on-hr/#commentsMon, 15 Apr 2013 18:31:50 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=28196“In the future, organizations’ competitive success will hinge on a highly unlikely suspect: workers who aren’t employees at all.” A new report from Accenture takes a critical look at the trends that are making organizations more adaptive and nimble, and considers best practices that HR professionals should put in place to take advantage of this shift.

The authors then summarize best practices they feel HR professionals should put in place to take advantage of this shift.

A “just in time” workforce fosters success

The report finds that external specialists are increasingly used for critical roles — less the reactive solution they once were, and more of a strategic, proactive asset that gives organizations a competitive edge.

Trends Reshaping the Future of HR says this dynamic workforce enables companies to be agile in a “highly turbulent business environment” and have access to “high-performing, highly skilled talent.”

However, the report describes changes in the way we work, too, predicting that ongoing work will increasingly be replaced by projects. “This could give rise to a highly mobile workforce whose members rapidly assemble and reassemble around projects,” it says.

“We believe that enterprises could radically boost their performance by sourcing talent for each task from anywhere inside or outside the organization on one criterion: who is the best person to perform the task?”

Such an open approach, the report’s authors note, allows core employees to focus on what they’re best at, enables new ways of thinking, and potentially sparks innovation as new people and fresh ideas come and go.

Fluidly matching tasks to talent

Trends Reshaping the Future of HR recommends eight approaches for human resources that reflect the new nature of work.

Redefine HR’s customers. The report suggests that everything from recruiting to performance management to learning should shift beyond full-time employees to include those working on a freelance or contract basis. “The goal is to balance the needs and expectations of each type of talent with the strategic goals of the business.”

Integrate processes and systems. An “integrated talent management system” is needed to capture data on everyone connected to the organization — to help track skills, training and certifications, and to facilitate decision-making and manage security.

Create new organizational structures or roles that cross boundaries and disciplines. Managing an extended workforce may require new or different skills; existing corporate hierarchies may not fit the new model.

Use analytics to become an expert advisor on the talent landscape. Data can indicate where to source talent from and help anticipate what skills need to be sourced.

Become a talent broker. The role of the HR professional, the report explains, is to find the right fit for the right position, and understand what data and key performance indicators (KPIs) can be used to track results.

Forge new relationships with partner organizations. Work is increasingly being done in cooperation with complementary organizations, and those relationships may need to be created or readjusted.

Apply talent management practices to the extended workforce. Retention matters within a workforce, whether that workforce is permanent or structured according to need. From onboarding to incentives and career development, HR professionals will need to look for ways to push talent management beyond core employees.

Segment the extended workforce. A more distributed workforce means more segmentation: by culture, geography, and even the strength of the connection to the organization (i.e. professional consultant vs crowdsourcing participant). Each group will have different needs and requirements that will need to be addressed.

“Quickly bringing together globally dispersed, blended workforces to achieve an organization’s goals will require no less than a management revolution,” the report’s authors note in their closing. Is your organization ready?

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/04/the-rise-of-the-extended-workforce-and-its-impact-on-hr/feed/1When It Comes To Success, Work-Life Balance Trumps Moneyhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/03/when-it-comes-to-success-work-life-balance-trumps-money/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/03/when-it-comes-to-success-work-life-balance-trumps-money/#commentsThu, 21 Mar 2013 16:00:42 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=28010When it comes to our career, we strive for more than money and recognition. The most common way we define success? Work-life balance, according to a recent survey.

]]>When it comes to our careers, we strive for more than money and recognition. The most common way we define success? Work-life balance.

According to a recent survey by Accenture, work-life balance is the top definition of career success — above money, recognition and autonomy.

Additionally, a majority of people surveyed for Accenture’s Defining Successsurvey said flexibility in their work schedule is very or extremely important to finding that balance. In fact, more than half of the survey’s 4,100 respondents — across 33 countries — had turned down a job because they were concerned about its impact on their work-life balance.

The survey also found that most people believe that they can have it all — just not at the same time. It’s a sentiment that’s echoed elsewhere: “I had thought I had it all. But the three people I loved most in the world felt differently,” Jaleh Bisharat, VP Marketing at oDesk, wrote on this blog last summer.

Adrian Lajtha, Accenture’s chief leadership officer, explained in a news release that the way we define success is always in flux. “For many, career goals and personal priorities will take precedence at different times. As today’s professionals strive to find the right balance, leading companies will find innovative ways to help them develop, grow and thrive.”

Other key findings:

78 percent agree that technology enables them to be more flexible with their schedules.

70 percent note that this also brings work into their personal lives.

75 percent say that they frequently — or at least occasionally — work during paid time off.

For complete results from Defining Success, you can find the full report here.

What factors have shaped your career — is work-life balance at the top of your list? Tell us about your priorities in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/03/when-it-comes-to-success-work-life-balance-trumps-money/feed/5Does Online Work Favor Experience? Mature Pros Take To Indie Lifestylehttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/01/does-online-work-favor-experience-mature-pros-take-to-indie-lifestyle/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/01/does-online-work-favor-experience-mature-pros-take-to-indie-lifestyle/#commentsMon, 28 Jan 2013 17:00:38 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=27584"Not that many years ago, the idea of working online meant you had to be a young geek — I don't think that's true anymore" said Denise Loubert, a long-time corporate writer who has started four businesses during her career and now works online. More than 40 percent of independent workers are over the age of 50, and many are taking their careers online so they can pursue the work they love on a schedule that suits their lifestyle.

]]>“I’m not a spring chicken!” admits Hiland Doolittle, a serial entrepreneur and recovered heart transplant patient who turned to online work when his health forced him to slow down.

Now in his 60s, Doolittle isn’t necessarily what comes to mind when you think of the future of work, but he’s one of a growing number of experienced professionals leaving the traditional office life behind.

“Not that many years ago, the idea of working online meant you had to be a young geek — I don’t think that’s true anymore” echoed Denise Loubert, a long-time corporate writer who has also started four businesses during her career.

“The Internet opened up the world for anybody,” she added. “There are all kinds of people of different experience levels, it’s not just young whippersnappers.”

Jim Nayor

Jim Nayor, who spent his career working for major ad agencies in New York City, thinks it’s that deep experience that enables the freedom of online work. “Once you’ve established your career, you can afford to go on [online platforms]; once you have your credentials and you’re confident of those credentials, you can make a go of it.”

Nayor noticed that those who find greater success online often have significant offline experience — something supported by oDesk’s own statistics.

When we looked at earnings growth among contractors, there was a clear relationship between higher education and greater experience — a 2.6 percent increase in rates for every year of experience listed.

Bending Work Around Higher Priorities

By its very name, the “future of work” points to a destination, a path experts estimate will have 1.3 billion people working virtually within a few years. It speaks to a new generation of workers who define work on their own terms, connected via an office that moves whenever — and wherever — they do.

However, mature workers like Doolittle, Loubert and Nayor often have a different set of priorities than newer freelancers.

“We live for our grandchildren,” Nayor said of himself and his wife. “They are the loves of our lives; anything and everything we can do for them, we do.”

Nayor says he turned to freelancing because of a lack planning. “I did a poor job planning for our future; I retired, and I needed to do something.” Initially, he travelled and did work for different marketing agencies; then he learned about oDesk and moved his business online.

Now, he says, he can work whenever he needs to. “My time is my own.”

Denise Loubert

Loubert appreciates the flexibility of online work, but also likes the efficiency of it. She briefly considered pairing with a graphic design company but eventually decided against it. “I was going to all these meetings and dealing with issues around payments,” she said, calling such use of time “unnecessary.”

“I make a living through oDesk,” she explained, adding that if she worked in the offline world, “I’d spend my time going to networking events and trying to convince people to pay me; I’d only work half the time I do now.”

Loubert thinks an entrepreneurial spirit like hers is perfect for online work. “I have to keep reminding myself I want to retire,” she said. “It’s a worldwide market; you can work with anybody.”

A Change of Pace

After a career of running his own businesses, heart issues caused Doolittle to step back. He says he was pretty sick when he started working online.

Hiland Doolittle

“In many ways, it saved my life,” he explained. “I couldn’t do much more than write, but [online work] kept me abreast of what was going on in the real world.”

Managing his own online business is more or less second nature for Doolittle anyway. “I’ve always had a lot of entrepreneurial endeavors; some were successful, and some were not,” he said. “It’s just a way of life for me.”

Online work lets Doolittle pursue a wide variety of interests at whatever pace suits him at the moment. “I love to work and I love to learn — my present career lets me do both.”

The Future of Work — For You

Loubert schedules her work around her social life, but she avoids getting distracted by it. “I have daily and weekly goals — you have to be disciplined for this kind of work.”

She also says it’s easier once you figure out how to focus your energy. “This time last year I was struggling, but now I turn work down every week. I learned that if you home in on what you actually want to be doing, people eventually just come to you.”

Doolittle has had the same experience, explaining that when he first started working online he wasn’t sure it would work out. “It took me a while to figure out that I really needed to establish a niche in a few things.”

When it comes to building good relationships with clients, Nayor says mutual respect is important. “I use Skype or call people directly,” he said. “Once you connect in other ways than just email, you start to develop a rapport with them.”

He advises giving clients more than they expect or pay for. “It’s the old adage: Promise them anything and deliver more.”

In their 2012 State of Independence report, MBO Partners found that 58 percent of baby boomers chose to become independent — and rarely turn back. While it’s a path that has its ups and downs, these three professionals have found a way to make it work for them.

Are you a mature professional who turned to online work for more flexibility or a change of pace? Leave your stories — and your advice — in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/01/does-online-work-favor-experience-mature-pros-take-to-indie-lifestyle/feed/1oDesk Data Reveals the Future of Work: Our Top Posts for 2012https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/01/odesk-data-future-of-work-top-posts-2012/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/01/odesk-data-future-of-work-top-posts-2012/#commentsTue, 08 Jan 2013 17:00:31 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=27345Here at oDesk, we analyze data to better understand trends and growth — plus, we just like exploring the world of online work. As it turns out, you find the numbers just as interesting as we do! All but one of our top five oDesk posts from 2012, as determined by viewership, center around the “oConomy” — not just the world of online work, but the role oDesk plays in this ecosystem. Here’s a quick recap of the year's most popular posts.

Here at oDesk, we analyze our data to better understand trends and growth — plus, we just like exploring the world of online work.

As it turns out, you find the numbers just as interesting as we do! All but one of our top five oDesk posts from 2012, as determined by viewership, center around the “oConomy” — not just the world of online work, but the role oDesk plays in this ecosystem. Here’s a quick recap of the year’s most popular posts.

In July, we launched the oDesk Country Dashboard — an interactive way for everyone to dive into oDesk’s data and explore who’s doing what across 180 different countries. The dashboard provides an easy way to visually:

compare activity between countries by day and time;

follow oDesk’s overall level of activity; and

explore the types of work being completed in each country.

Check it out, and let us know if there are other data cuts you would like to see visualized!

At the end of July, India was hobbled by a nationwide blackout; some 620 million people were left without electricity (roughly half of India’s population).

India is one of the most active countries on oDesk, so our staff economist John Horton was curious to see how such a widespread disruption might impact online work. “The Blackouts in India” post presents his data-driven look at the oConomy during those disconnected hours.

We’re always excited to hear about oDesk success stories, but anecdotal evidence highlights limited parts of the big picture; only data can reveal whether that success is widespread.

By analyzing information from 90,000 contractors, Horton found that tenure on oDesk translates to significantly higher earnings for contractors. He also identifies other non-tenure factors that can influence this earnings potential.

The growing use of vast amounts of information to analyze and predict behavior (also known as “big data”) has made a significant impact on how information is presented to us — particularly in retail, where we increasingly see highly customized promotions and content.

So far, the impact of “big data” on the labor market has been limited, at least for the “supply side” of the market (i.e. the job seekers, as opposed to the job openings). However, Horton predicts that this is changing, led by sites like LinkedIn and oDesk. One day soon, instead of the traditional job search, our ideal jobs may come find us.

When we introduced the oDesk Country Dashboard (see post #1), we wrote this accompanying article that describes some of the who, what and how of the larger effort behind it — known as the oDesk oConomy.

Classic Advice for Online Work

Beyond the popularity of data-driven posts, these older blog articles — which focus primarily on the essentials of online work — continue to make their mark.

How to Write a Cover Letter. You get one chance to make a first impression; this post explains how a great cover letter can help you shine.

Top 25 Project Management Blogs. If you want to manage projects — and your teams — more effectively, the blogs highlighted here are a great place to start.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2013/01/odesk-data-future-of-work-top-posts-2012/feed/2Planning for Contractors: Managing Your Money And Your Skillshttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/12/planning-contractors-managing-money-skills/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/12/planning-contractors-managing-money-skills/#commentsMon, 03 Dec 2012 17:00:51 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=26960Freelancing is the fastest-growing sector of the economy, but traditional safety nets often don't apply. As a result—as cynical as it may sound—there's only one person who is able to look after you and your self-employed future: You. Here's some guidance on two of the most important considerations for long-term freelance career planning—saving for retirement and staying professionally relevant.

]]>Freelancing is the fastest-growing sector of the economy, according to The Atlantic, and already up to one-third of working adults in the U.S. are classified as independent contractors by the Government Accountability Office.

These solo professionals are also a pretty happy group. The 2012 State of Independence in America report from MBO Partners, for example, found that 71 percent of independent contractors have a high level of satisfaction with their work—and the vast majority expect things to stay the same or get better over the next year.

However, it’s increasingly evident that being self-employed isn’t without its challenges; with the continuing shift in the way the world works, many traditional systems and safety nets don’t fit the independent lifestyle.

In particular, despite the rise in independent contractors, their interests are generally unprotected. Even their numbers are unconfirmed; the Bureau of Labour Statistics stopped tracking contingent workers in 2005, before the economic downturn.

As a result—as cynical as it may sound—there’s only one person who is able to look after you and your self-employed future: You. Here’s some guidance on two of the most important considerations for long-term freelance career planning—protecting your finances, now and in the future, and staying professionally relevant.

Thinking About Finances

Retirement planning is a fairly universal challenge. “Almost half of middle-class workers, 49 percent, will be poor or near poor in retirement, living on a food budget of about $5 a day,” wrote economics professor Teresa Ghilarducci in a New York Times opinion piece.

Financial issues are perhaps more magnified among self-employed professionals who have no employer—or employment support—to turn to for assistance with healthcare expenses, household emergencies, or periods of low or no income.

Providing advice for a freelance couple on CNN Money, financial planner Colleen Weber recommended a robust emergency reserve to help cover unforeseen shortfalls and protect against the feast-or-famine flux of freelance work. “The ideal target for freelancers: six months to a year of readily accessible funds,” she wrote.

That’s no small amount of change to squirrel away when you have other bills and expenses to pay on an ongoing basis. While a financial planner can give you the best advice for your particular situation, taking stock of your current income and expenses—plus setting a reasonable budget and sticking to it—is a starting point many know but still forget.

When you’re primarily focused on paying your bills this month and next, retirement can seem far on the horizon. In fact, many retirees turn to freelancing as a meaningful way to stay active and engaged while supplementing their income; for example, nearly half of working Canadians plan to ease into retirement by continuing with part-time or freelance work.

However, banking on a lengthy professional career instead of savings adds more risk to an already unknown future. U.S.-based freelancers have four basic investment options:

In-person networking is another way to learn what others are doing, as well as how general client needs in your industry may be shifting.

In addition to networking opportunities, trade shows and conferences are some of the best ways to learn what’s new and coming soon in your particular sector.

You can also turn to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for a forecast: Their Occupational Outlook Handbook projects out to 2020 in a number of sectors, providing an overview of broad skills required and the job outlook.

What are you doing to plan ahead—for yourself or your business? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/12/planning-contractors-managing-money-skills/feed/3Creating Work-Family Balance Through Flexible Workhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/11/flexible-work-as-a-solution-for-families/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/11/flexible-work-as-a-solution-for-families/#commentsWed, 07 Nov 2012 16:00:18 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=26818High levels of work-family stress are causing many people to look for more flexible solutions—and often, that solution is the life of an independent worker. A recent survey by professional staffing company Mom Corps found that 52 percent of employees would start their own business in order to get the flexibility they’re looking for. "As professionals come to terms with the idea of flexibility, they are gaining confidence in seeking their preferred work environment and shaping their careers accordingly," said Allison O'Kelly, founder and CEO of Mom Corps.

]]>Summer vacations were something Angela Irizarry treasured growing up, a gift she was concerned she wouldn’t be able to give her son. Working for a call center when he was a baby allowed Angela to stay at home with him, but when the recession led to tight times for both her and her fiancé, she took a higher-paying position as an assistant property manager at a student housing community.

“I missed spending time with my son,” she admitted. “It ate at me, every summer, that he didn’t get a summer vacation, because that was something I looked forward to every year growing up.”

Deciding to leave her job earlier this year to work online, doing social media marketing, has turned that around. “I stepped out of my comfort zone to do what I love,” Angela said, noting that her decision has given her much more time to spend with her family. “I’ve never been happier. I’ve never been less stressed. It’s very liberating.”

High levels of work-family stress are causing many people to look for more flexible solutions—and often, that solution is the life of an independent worker. A recent survey by professional staffing company Mom Corps found that 52 percent of employees would start their own business in order to get the flexibility they’re looking for.

“As professionals come to terms with the idea of flexibility, they are gaining confidence in seeking their preferred work environment and shaping their careers accordingly,” said Allison O’Kelly, founder and CEO of Mom Corps.

The Sandwich Generation: Looking For Balance

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, more than 87 percent of American families have at least one working parent.

For people in what is known as “the sandwich generation,” flextime isn’t just about being available for their kids. According to a survey by the Families and Work Institute, one in five working adults is also currently caring for an older relative—and slightly less than half of those adults also have at least one child under the age of 18.

“Yes, enlightened employers who understand that our need to leave early to sit in on Dad’s next kidney appointment is just as valid as a coworker’s desire to attend a son’s soccer game would be great,” he noted. “In the short term, though, it’s up to each of us to truly understand the limits of what we can and can’t do, and not beat ourselves up when we fall short of our own or someone else’s idea of ideal.”

Scheduling Work Around Family

Before she left her job, Angela juggled both her property management job and her freelancing work. When she finally made the leap, the shift was practically seamless. “There was no downtime at all,” she said. “I started applying to jobs and I started getting them…making just as much as I was when I was doing the 9-to-5, commuting 40 minutes each way.”

Now, Angela says she can put money away into savings and has the freedom to flex her schedule around her family. “[My fiancé] does maintenance in property management, and his busy season is in the winter–shoveling or salting the walkways—whereas mine [as an assistant property manager] was in the summer,” she explained.

“The window of opportunity for us to do anything was very, very small. We would have to plan everything so far in advance. [Freelancing] gives me the freedom to do more things with my family, and not worry about things like: Is someone going to get fired if we take this vacation?”

Resources for Flexibility Seekers

To coincide with the recent 2012 Workflex Conference, the Families and Work Institute recently launched The Workflex Employee Toolkit. This resource provides advice for employees on how to ask for a more flexible schedule, and information about how you can make it work for you.

Targeted to moms and dads, Chapman’s free ebook takes an honest look at balancing commitments like deadlines and business travel with family time and good communication.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/11/flexible-work-as-a-solution-for-families/feed/16Create a Fast-Moving “Living Organization” by Empowering Individualshttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/11/create-a-fast-moving-living-organization-by-empowering-individuals/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/11/create-a-fast-moving-living-organization-by-empowering-individuals/#commentsThu, 01 Nov 2012 15:00:38 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=26769The new business frontier has emerged as what some business leaders call chaos. "Living organizations," also known as self-organizing systems, may provide the capacity for organizations to easily adapt—by trusting and empowering individual team members to act.

]]>In 1996, Margaret Wheatley and Myron Kellner-Rogers described what they called self-organization: the evolution of a company into a living system that is flexible, intelligent, and can adapt easily to change.

Nearly two decades later, this organizational capacity for change is even more critical; the new business frontier has emerged as what some business leaders call chaos. “When businesspeople search for the right forecast…no credible long-term picture emerges,” wrote Robert Safian earlier in Fast Company. “The next decade or two will be defined by more fluidity than by any new, settled paradigm: if there is a pattern to all this, it is that there is no pattern.”

As described on the oDesk blog in the past, in order to respond to this uncertainty the workplace of the future needs to be creative and adaptable and focused on results over process. In many ways, forming this kind of work environment means growing your business as a living organization and empowering your individual team members.

Lead With Intent

According to Wheatley and Kellner-Rogers, self-organizing works because the individuals involved are able to form a collective. Observing social relations between insects, termites and even drivers in traffic jams, they noted that order emerges—even in the absence of leadership—because of a shared objective.

“Members develop connections with one another,” they wrote. “Each determines its behavior based on information about what its neighbors are doing and what the collective purpose is. From such simple conditions, working communities emerge, self-organizing from local connections into global patterns and processes.”

From an organizational point of view, supporting this kind of ground-up collaboration squashes the traditional management pyramid; layered hands-on management isn’t as relevant in a 24/7, anytime/anywhere business environment.

Instead, every individual is empowered to act. Organizational leadership becomes focused on intent and clearly communicating global goals and vision, and the role of the manager becomes one of mentor, connector, and advocate.

Help Team Members Find Meaning

“If you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood, sweat and tears.”
– Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why

A workforce of empowered individuals can be an intimidating thing; you have to trust that your team members will make decisions that support the organization.

That’s where being able to clearly communicate your vision becomes critical—first you need to find people who believe what you believe, and then you need to show them the link between what they do and the organization’s success.

“A company can spend lots of time developing a perfect strategy,” wrote Jacque Vilet on human resources blog TLNT. “But it means nothing if it is unable to ‘cascade’ that strategy down to the day-to-day work of its employees.”

Further, drawing a line between day-to-day work and overall vision gives people a sense of purpose—something that will stop people from walking out the door. A survey by Deloitte found that even in an uncertain economy, people want meaningful work that challenges them and makes good use of their skills and abilities.

Leading an organization with intent creates an environment where individuals can self-organize and self-direct—an environment that will prepare your company to compete as the future of work unfolds.

Do you think this kind of empowered workforce is the future of business, or is it more of an ideal? Please add your thoughts to the comments below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/11/create-a-fast-moving-living-organization-by-empowering-individuals/feed/7Education And The Competition For Talent—Are You Ready?https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/10/education-and-the-competition-for-talent-are-you-ready/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/10/education-and-the-competition-for-talent-are-you-ready/#commentsTue, 23 Oct 2012 15:30:05 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=26622The slow recovery from the global recession is highlighting—among other issues—the gap between jobs and skills. For self-driven independent professionals, it will be critical to manage their own education and stay ahead of the curve.

“The illiterate of the future will not be the person who cannot read. It will be the person who does not know how to learn.” — Alvin Toffler

The slow recovery from the global recession is highlighting—among otherissues—the gap between jobs and skills.

There are 40 million people unemployed in advanced economies around the world, yet millions of jobs are available. In Europe, there are 1.2 million unfilled positions; the latest numbers from the Department of Labor show that there are three times as many vacancies in the U.S.

While there is significant need for job creation, many jobs are sitting empty. One in four European employers say they have had difficulty finding the right candidates; in Japan, that number climbs to 80 percent. Bridging the gap between these jobs and the people who need them is a complex balance of skills, experience, culture, geography, language and policy.

In trying to address the gap—now, and increasingly in years to come—some companies are taking matters into their own hands. To succeed over the next decade, independent professionals will need to do the same.

Where Jobs Are Growing

The McKinsey Global Institute describes three types of jobs: Interactions, Transactions and Production. Only one of these categories—Interactions—has seen any growth since 2000.

Interaction jobs “involve complex interactions and often require deep knowledge, independent judgment, and experience,” McKinsey defines. These jobs are a mix of “non-tradable” jobs that are relatively localized (e.g. welding and health care), and “tradable” jobs that can increasingly be done anytime and anywhere—which are the crux of Work 3.0.

While the necessary skill level may vary, the growing majority of Interaction jobs require some form of post-secondary education. Studies indicate that 80 percent of jobs created in America over the next decade will require skills in science, technology, engineering or mathematics—otherwise known as STEM skills. Unfortunately, interest in these subjects is generally low; a study by Accenture found that just 1 in 8 degrees awarded in the U.S. are for STEM degrees.

Employers Are Encouraging Development and Education

To reduce the shortfall of STEM-trained workers, a growing number of companies are investing in initiatives to help generate interest in these subjects and build the skills needed in the longer-term. Most of these efforts focus on students, but some also target the workforce.

Amazon, for example, launched the Amazon Career Choice program over the summer: The company will pre-pay tuition and associated fees “for courses that lead to technical and vocational certifications or associate’s degrees in eligible in-demand fields,” like computer-aided design or machine tool technologies.

By educating staff in these targeted fields—identified as high-growth by sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics—Amazon is equipping its employees with in-demand skills that won’t just help them compete individually; the company can potentially use these skilled employees to meet their own future needs.

And for Germany, education is one of many factors credited for the country’s rapid recovery from the recession. Kurzarbeit, a reduced work initiative designed to protect jobs during hard economic times, also has a professional development aspect: if an employer invested in staff training, the government committed to subsidize the cost.

The result, explained Wolf-Bertram von Bismarck, is a workforce that’s better prepared to compete in the post-recession economy. “The program enabled German companies not only to retain their qualified employees and talents…but also enabled the companies to better position their employees after the crisis ended,” he wrote for Human Resource Executive Online.

For Independent Professionals, Education Leaves the Classroom

“There is no good job today that does not require more and better education to get it,
hold it, or advance in it.” — Thomas Friedmann

The jobs of tomorrow are changing, so developing your own skills is critical to keeping up with demand. Fortunately—similar to the growth of online work—higher education has become increasingly digital and accessible.

Douglas Shackelford, a professor at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School and dean of its new online business degree program, said in an interview with Knowledge@Wharton that the confines of a brick-and-mortar school increasingly make little sense.

Describing one student who works with five people—whom he’s never met in person—across four continents, Shackelford said: “The idea that he would go back into a classroom to do his MBA seemed like something his granddad would have done. It’s a Facebook world now.”

This is not a new concept, but it is a newly popular one. The OpenCourseWare movement, whereby universities share course materials for free via the Internet, first launched in 1999. It didn’t gain much momentum until it was spearheaded by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2002. Now, more than a decade later, the online education movement has expanded and evolved into initiatives like edX and Coursera (university programs), the Khan Academy (K-12 subjects) and Lynda (general skills).

While it still falls short of common practice, access to online education is on the rise—although you need to find the right program for your needs. Some of the university-level online courses, called “massive open online courses” (MOOCs), are offered for free and no tests are done to access your knowledge; others are part of expensive full-degree programs.

How we learn, how we build our careers and what those careers might be—these are all evolving at a rapid pace. Taking an active role in developing skills for the future will likely mean the difference between a thriving career and a stagnant one. But thanks to innovations in online education opportunities, keeping up with skills development may be easier than ever.

What steps have you taken to stay ahead of the curve? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/10/education-and-the-competition-for-talent-are-you-ready/feed/5Joie de Vivre: Inspirations From the French in the Quest for Work-Life Balancehttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/09/joie-de-vivre-inspirations-from-the-french-work-life-balance/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/09/joie-de-vivre-inspirations-from-the-french-work-life-balance/#commentsMon, 24 Sep 2012 15:00:38 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=26312A life where work is part of you but doesn’t define who you are. Despite my mobile office, it’s my ideal more than reality. A few days spent wandering in northern France this summer gave me plenty to ponder, however. I couldn’t help but wonder: Have the French had it figured out all along?

“Joie de vivre is an attitude. It’s a decision you make to live a life of joy. It’s an invitation to this dance called life. All you have to do is leave the door slightly ajar and listen for the music.”
— Jamie Cat Callan, from Bonjour, Happiness!

Work, family, friends, self — I spend so much time considering work-life balance it’s practically a hobby. And I’m not alone: The Society of Human Resource Management found that 89% of working Americans think it’s a problem.

A life where work is part of you but doesn’t define who you are — despite my mobile office, it’s my ideal more than reality. A few days spent wandering in northern France this summer gave me plenty to ponder, however. I couldn’t help but wonder: Have the French had it figured out all along?

La vie en rose

(“Life through rose-colored glasses” or, literally, “life in pink.”)

Long leisurely lunches. Bikes everywhere. Cell phones off the table. Gourmet food and excellent wine around every corner. A schedule that prioritizes time with friends and family.

If you’ve read anything about balanced living and stress management, you’ll know advice generally follows a theme — like these pillars of happiness recommended by the Mayo Clinic:

Devoting time to family and friends

Appreciating what you have

Maintaining an optimistic outlook

Feeling a sense of purpose

Living in the moment

In living color, I’d found a beautiful country that seemed to have evolved around these principles of healthy living. Within a few short hours of landing, for example, I had stumbled into town with nowhere to go as shopkeepers stepped out for their noon to 2 p.m. lunch break.

Sunday shopping was off the agenda, too. “We take Sundays to indulge in parks, picnics and socializing,” noted one Parisian on a TripAdvisor forum.

I had landed in France, and found myself surrounded by people effortlessly living the kind of life I strive for. The question I couldn’t help but ask: Does it work?

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

(“The more it changes, the more it’s the same thing.”)

“Alternating periods of activity and rest is necessary to survive, let alone thrive. Capacity, interest, and mental endurance all wax and wane. Plan accordingly.”
— Timothy Ferriss, from his book The 4-Hour Workweek

The French seem to revel in the moment, holding fast to a lifestyle that prioritizes friends, family and self.

And French workers rank third for fewest hours worked among 35 countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) — likely due in part to the cultural emphasis on leisure time.

These details point to work-life boundaries that echo what so many professionals struggle to put in place. The problem is that the numbers don’t seem to back it up.

Just a few years ago, Business Insider argued that, when GDP per capita was compared against the number of hours worked, the French were the most productive people in the world. However, the recent economic lag has been tough on developed economies — the Eurozone perhaps most acutely among them. While France weathered the recession better than many of its neighbours, recent indications hint that all is not well. For example:

Economic growth in France has stalled, with the most recent data from the Bank of France showing that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink in the third quarter.

The numbers today paint a weaker picture than the French have come to expect, a fact that’s been driving controversial labour reforms in France that business leaders and French President Francois Hollande hope will put the country on more competitive footing.

“There’s no change in biological depression, but what’s going up is the more mild depression,” Ronald Kessler, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the WHO study, told Bloomberg News regarding the rise in depression rates for U.S. and France.

“Objective things haven’t changed,” he said. “We have an expectation that everything’s going to turn out perfect but it doesn’t.”

Le bon vivant

(Literally “the good liver”; someone who loves life, loves pleasure.)

“Our needs and interests are different. Our hopes and responsibilities are different. You must create the optimal individualized work-life balance strategy for yourself.”
— Mireille Guiliano, from her book Women, Work & The Art of Savoir Faire

Economics and statistics aside, I still think the French are on the right track — although many an expert has noted that it’s not about copying a particular formula but figuring out what works specifically in your life.

Back on this side of the Atlantic, I’ve been on a mission to recapture some of the joie de vivre that inspired me:

Making time for a real lunch break, and even a quick walk, instead of dropping crumbs over the keyboard as I eat and type;

Visiting my local farmer’s market for local produce and fresh baking;

Defining clearer boundaries between time at work and time at play;

Keeping my phone in my bag — on silent — when spending time with family and friends;

Appreciating what I’m doing in the moment, whether I’m working or relaxing, without worrying as much about what comes next.

Old habits die hard, so my conversion is very much a work in progress. However, with a clear vision of lively bistros and lounging in the park on a sunny Sunday afternoon to draw on, I remain hopeful.

How have your travels inspired you? What cultural elements have you worked into your life? I would love to read your tales and observations in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/09/joie-de-vivre-inspirations-from-the-french-work-life-balance/feed/2Creatives Will Take Over The World—But Are We Ready?https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/08/creatives-will-take-over-the-world-but-are-we-ready/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/08/creatives-will-take-over-the-world-but-are-we-ready/#commentsWed, 08 Aug 2012 15:00:59 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=25889Business executives consistently identify creativity as a must-have skill for the future of work. Recognizing opportunities requires the ability to connect ideas—to look at the abstract and extract meaning. This spark fuels creatives everywhere but have we, in general, lost our touch?

]]>Business executives consistently identify creativity as a must-have skill for the future of work. According to multiple surveys, such as IBM’s 2010 Global CEO Survey, business leaders believe creativity will help navigate massive shifts in the business environment. Creativity—and its sister skill, innovation—are increasingly the difference between a business succeeding and failing.

A report earlier this year from Gartner Research also highlighted the role of innovation in the future of work. “The core value that people add…lies in the non-routine, uniquely human, analytical or interactive contributions that people make, which often relate to discovery, innovation, teaming, leading, selling and learning,” wrote Tom Austin, vice president at Gartner.

Recognizing new opportunities requires the ability to connect ideas—to look at the abstract and extract meaning. This spark fuels creatives everywhere but have we, in general, lost our touch?

Where did creativity go?

The value of creativity has been on the rise over the last decade, largely due to the emphasis on knowledge workers. Daniel Pink outlined the growing need for it in his book A Whole New Mind back in 2006, arguing that the rise of trends like automation and abundance are driving a need for more inventive thinking.

If you hail from the startup or entrepreneurial domain, innovation likely lies close to the heart. But among those who’ve risen through other environments—where doing and deadlines have been prioritized over the new and unexpected—career myopia is on the prowl. Kristin Cardinale, author of The 9-to-5 Cure, describes career myopia as “a loss of function in our imagination resulting from an inordinate amount of time spent focusing on our work life.

“We lose the ability to even visualize the big picture for lack of exercising those muscles in our imagination,” she wrote. “As a result, our field of vision narrows, and the big picture becomes fuzzy. We lose sight of our dreams and instead fixate on merely surviving instead of thriving.”

One researcher has even gone as far as to state that the U.S. is in the midst of a creativity crisis, with our overall ability to generate ideas—particularly unusual ones—on a steady decline for more than 20 years.

How can you encourage innovation?

On-demand creativity is unrealistic, but fostering an environment that encourages fresh thinking is not. There are myriad ways for an organization to empower a more creative team; here are a few:

Take a hands-on approach. Dean Newlund of Mission Facilitators International cites scientist John Medina’s recommended physical changes—from turning to color theory or using full-spectrum lightbulbs to walking during meetings—to create an office space that helps keep ideas flowing.

Look for ways to give people breathing room. ThredUP co-founder and CEO James Reinhart recently spoke to GigaOM about his company’s mandatory “work from home Wednesdays.” While the expectation is that everyone puts in a full day of work, he says the idea is to provide one day each week to step back, focus and get perspective. (In the article’s comments, employee Dan DeMeyere said “Wednesday (by far) has the biggest output of any day.”) Remote or on site, the ThredUP team still scrums every morning on Skype.

Adapt the principles of Work 3.0. Business author Bonnie Marcus wrote in Forbes that shifting perspective from rewarding in-office time to simply results (and consequently integrating more flexible work arrangements) is the only way businesses will thrive moving forward. “This new model measures and rewards people for their performance and results, not their time,” she said. “It’s about managers and leaders creating an environment where people are free to produce results in the way that works best.”

What do you think—is creativity alive and well, or do you sense this same gap? Leave your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/08/creatives-will-take-over-the-world-but-are-we-ready/feed/2How To Move Your Business Forward By Hiring Onlinehttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/07/online-work-small-business/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/07/online-work-small-business/#commentsThu, 12 Jul 2012 15:00:01 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=23404Mark Buskuhl runs a small business in addition to his full-time job. But he didn’t want Snapshot Pod, which offers rentals of a more modern version of the classic photo booth,. But he didn’t want Snapshot Pod to look like a side project to potential customers. Working with contractors from all over the world, Buskuhl was able to “create a professional and high-end face for my business in a very cost-effective way."

]]>Mark Buskuhl runs a small business in addition to his full-time job. But he didn’t want Snapshot Pod, which offers rentals of a more modern version of the classic photo booth, to look like a side project to potential customers.

Buskuhl turned to online professionals to create the business presence he wanted. He hired oDesk contractors for everything from his logo design and website, to the graphics for the actual photo booth, to marketing materials like videos and photos.

Working with contractors from all over the world, Buskuhl was able to “create a professional and high-end face for my business in a very cost-effective way.”

Hiring online helps him focus on what he’s good at

Snapshot Pod “helps create memories” at parties and events in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas of Texas, Buskuhl explained. “We do birthday parties and weddings, but it’s been really popular at corporate events,” he said. “It’s a powerful marketing tool because you can work your branding into it. People don’t throw away photos of themselves.”

When he first started Snapshot Pod, Buskuhl had a concept for the business but no time to build it. oDesk offered a good solution: A way to focus on his own areas of expertise while contracting the rest to other professionals through online work.

“There are people out there who can do things much better than I can!” he observed. “I believe you should focus on what you know and hire other experts for the rest. Hiring out brings better returns for business owners.”

How to start hiring out

Buskuhl said he knew what he needed to do before he could launch Snapshot Pod. “I had a list of tasks and went to oDesk looking for talent who could do them.”

After learning about oDesk through a blog post, Buskuhl said he’s become a huge fan. He still works with some of his original contractors, and says he’s learned a few lessons along the way:

Use test jobs as part of the hiring process. “This not only provides a great way to check skills and knowledge,” Buskuhl said. “It also gives both of you a chance to test things out. Does the relationship meet your expectations?”

Always act professionally. As with any hiring situation, Buskuhl says that sometimes a working relationship just doesn’t work. “Not every hire will work out, but even if you’re ending the contract you should always act professionally.”

Think globally. Buskuhl observes that there can be cultural differences that you should try to be aware of. “Depending on the job, language can also be an issue,” he explained. “That’s one reason why I rely on email; some contractors use translation services. Through email, I can be clearer and more specific.”

Find a hiring process that works for you. Buskuhl prefers to contact people directly rather than posting an ad. “oDesk really allows searchers to narrow and identify prospects,” he explained. “I can zoom in on people with very, very specific skills.”

Look beyond feedback and ratings. Feedback and ratings provide part of the picture, Buskuhl notes, but not everything. “Limited experience on oDesk isn’t an indication of skill, for example; I’ve had great experience with people who’d worked very limited hours,” he said. “I get a much better sense of people by reviewing their portfolio and examples.”

Learn from bigger businesses

In the end, the most important advice Mark has for other small business owners is to focus on what they’re good at and let go of the rest. “Think about how big companies operate and why,” he suggested. “The delegate. They hire people with specific skills. And that’s what helps them grow.”

How have you used online workers to help your business grow? Leave your experiences in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/07/online-work-small-business/feed/1Why Coworking? A Fresh Look at a Growing Trendhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/06/why-coworking-fresh-look-growing-trend/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/06/why-coworking-fresh-look-growing-trend/#commentsTue, 12 Jun 2012 15:00:34 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=23120For many independent workers, coworking can be a way to avoid feelings of isolation while also increasing productivity and accelerating growth. Should you consider coworking? Here are some of the benefits as well as the drawbacks.

“This is the new model, enabled by the Internet. It’s about communication. It’s about connection. It’s about community.”
– Gary Swart, oDesk CEO, SXSWi 2010 Conference

The working life of an independent contractor can be a lonely thing, but as remote work has grown, so has a related community-driven trend: Coworking.

In its current form, coworking started in San Francisco during the summer of 2005 in a space called Spiral Muse. This particular location has since closed, but the coworking concept has spread, with at least 537 dedicated coworking spaces now in the U.S. and notable growth in South and Central America, Australia, and Africa.

Remote workers often work from home or set up in the local coffee shop. However, as Tamara Rice noted in this oDesk post last year, some independent contractors thrive in a business environment surrounded by like-minded people — and many find that coworking is good for business.

So why has coworking become such a growing trend? What sets coworking apart from traditional shared office space is the spirit of community at the heart of every coworking space. Beyond common office supplies and a shared location, people rely on these environments for interaction and relationships.

A focus on networking and collaboration

Coworking spaces bring a varied mix of people together from different industries with a broad range of expertise. The collaborative focus of coworking spaces means more than chatting over the coffee machine; it’s a unique opportunity to learn from people with a completely different mindset than yours.

These connections go beyond business, too. According to the second Global Coworking Survey, by online coworking magazine Deskmag, 77% of coworkers hang out with other coworking space members socially on evenings and weekends.

That same survey also found that 92% of coworking entrepreneurs feel more confident because of both the social and professional networks they have been able to build.

Professional space (with an address you don’t mind sharing)

While some benefits of coworking are intangible, others are not; with mailbox rentals or private meeting spaces often available, coworking locations can keep your professional meeting space out of your home or hotel — wherever you happen to be.

Plus, if you have ever faced the dilemma of listing your business location online, you may understand the value of having a mailbox that isn’t at home. Email newsletters, for example, are legally required to include a physical mailing address in some countries (like the U.S., according to the CAN-SPAM Act).

What coworking looks like

But as the number of coworking spaces has grown, the available options have also increased. From drop-in desk use and private meeting rooms to secretarial services and social events, you can often find space to meet your specific needs. Some even cater to particular niche groups, like non-profit organizations or startups.

Despite the customizable differences, coworking spaces do share some common characteristics:

An open work area, to facilitate interaction and conversation

Social events, which may include workshops, breakfasts, or conferences

Flexible working hours (although not all are open 24/7)

However, these spaces are not perfect, and the Global Coworking Survey found that there is room to improve.

Availability. Deskmag reports that coworking spaces generally thrive where others already exist — likely a mix of awareness and demand. As a result, a majority of coworking locations are in large cities of more than one million people, although they are starting to grow in smaller centers.

Portability. Although a Coworking Visa exists, which allows a member from one coworking space to access other spaces, its use is still limited. Some frequent travelers join multiple coworking locations, but if you’re on the road you may need to search specifically for locations that offer daily rates. Check out Deskwanted and Loosecubes as starting points.

Noise. The open concept and encouraged collaboration does create a buzz that some coworkers find distracting.

Privacy. The open floor plan can also create a privacy issue. If confidentiality is important in your work, you should check the availability of private meeting rooms; they’re often incorporated into coworking spaces, but when demand is high, you may need to compromise.

Coworking is not for everyone, but for many independent workers, it’s a way to end feelings of isolation while increasing productivity and accelerating opportunities to grow.

What do you think of coworking spaces? Have they had an impact on your business? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/06/why-coworking-fresh-look-growing-trend/feed/5New Report: Work is ‘a State of Mind’https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/05/at-work-state-of-mind/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/05/at-work-state-of-mind/#commentsTue, 08 May 2012 15:00:44 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=22776We increasingly flip between personal and professional lives. From Forbes Insights and gyro, "@Work State of Mind" looks at evolving trends.

“We came from work that was rigid — it was structured, it was on premise — and we’re moving to a world where work is on demand and virtual.”— Gary Swart, oDesk CEO, GigaOM Net:Work 2011 Conference

You respond to emails from clients while on the sidelines of a soccer game; you talk to your financial advisor about your investments between a sales presentation and a team meeting. At home or at work, we increasingly switch between our personal and professional lives at a moment’s notice.

With the rapidly growing adoption of Work 3.0, in which work is flexible and on demand — and can be done anytime and anywhere — it can be difficult to keep the two spheres separate.

This trend impacts the way we do business, and especially how we make key business decisions, according to a recent report from Forbes Insights. The report, titled @Work State of Mind, looks at the new workplace, where personal and professional lives blend so closely that business decisions are made at all hours of the day.

“Technology has caused work to expand to longer hours of the day and has attached work to people wherever they are,” wrote Rick Segal, President Worldwide and Chief Practice Officer of gyro, the advertising firm that partnered with Forbes to create the report.

The report focuses largely on business-to-business marketing, but also reveals how ingrained this meshed lifestyle has become. Some key general findings:

People most at ease with this lifestyle are those who feel most in control. “They are good at separating work from personal time,” the report noted. “Only 15% of them said they are rarely or never able to do so, versus 24% of those who feel a lack of control.” Both groups work outside typical work hours; the difference seems to stem from a mental ability to separate the two.

While this overlap is also a reality in Europe, the report found that European executives are more bothered by it than their American counterparts: “Three in 10 European respondents (30%) said that they felt irritated by the blending of work and personal time, compared with 19% of Americans.”

Social networks are piercing the business world. “About two in three respondents (67%) said that such work-related networks play a significant role in business, and 56% said that personal social networks influence their determinations.”

Work is no longer a place

As gyro CEO Christopher Becker wrote, “Work is no longer a place, but a state of mind. There are no boundaries between work and leisure. It’s now just life.”

While some may see this as a negative shift, the report indicates that our constant access to technology — and the resulting ability to work anytime, anywhere — also sets you free, by providing the flexibility to attend to personal priorities during what was previously thought to be strictly work time.

In other words, people are defining their own balance and their own working hours. The survey data supports this sentiment, finding that the “stream and volume of information” available at all times makes 40% of respondents feel empowered, and makes 44% feel well-prepared to make key business decisions.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/05/at-work-state-of-mind/feed/2Stand Out From the Competition With a Strong Personal Brandhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/04/does-your-business-stand-out/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/04/does-your-business-stand-out/#commentsMon, 02 Apr 2012 16:30:07 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=21982In an increasingly competitive market, you need to stand out against the competition. Developing a strong personal brand is a great start.

You know you have skills and knowledge that are valuable to others. But in an increasingly competitive marketplace, being good at what you do is often not enough.

In his book Poke the Box, bestselling author Seth Godin observed that quality is no longer the main sticking point for businesses — a quality product is considered standard. What attracts customers today is more than quality; what matters is how a business — your business — stands out against its competitors. One of the best ways to do so is by creating a strong, consistent brand.

Define your brand

Defining your brand and learning how best to present yourself to potential clients is no simple or easy feat. The first step is to start pulling together all the marketing materials you need to develop for your brand, which is what personal branding expert Dan Schawbel calls your Personal Branding Toolkit.

The toolkit includes your business card, portfolio, resume, blog, and online profiles — but Schawbel explains that how you choose to brand yourself expands beyond these collateral materials.

“From the clothing you wear, to how you behave and interact with other people, to your body language, everything is tied to your overall brand,” he told Inc.com in an interview.

“For anyone interested in having a successful career… your personal brand is everything. It’s your reputation, the size and strength of your network, and what unique value you can contribute to a company or your clients.”

Be consistent

Prioritize your early personal branding efforts by deciding which elements of the Personal Branding Toolkit are most relevant to your audience and your business, and will have the greatest impact.

Every piece should be in sync: Whether defining a look for your website, adding sparkle to your profile, or filtering which tweets to share, there should be brand consistency in everything you do.

For example:

use common visual elements, like your color scheme and logo

choose a language that syncs across all online and offline marketing channels

use the same profile image across all your social media accounts so people can start to “recognize” you

Iconic brands such as Coca-Cola and Nike do not become established household names on their own — it takes years of diligent brand consistency. But as those companies exemplify, having a strong, consistent brand is a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal, and no business is too small to start following in those footsteps.

Have you dedicated much thought to branding yourself, and where did you start? Share your advice in the comments section below!

“Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices.”
-Betsy Jacobson, business consultant

You are relaxing with your family when it happens: An email from a client lands in your inbox. Do you:
A) Ignore it entirely until tomorrow morning.
B) Take a few minutes to respond.
C) Flag it so you remember to respond first thing tomorrow morning.
D) Read it to ensure it’s not urgent, then flag it.

On one hand, there is no right answer: One of the benefits to powering your own business is that you have the ability to shape your business around your values and lifestyle.

But it does beg the question: Does your lifestyle shape your work? Or does your work shape your lifestyle?

One thing many solo professionals find without the framework of a nine-to-five job is that their time at work has no framework; every day is a potential work day when you never actually leave the office. If part of your brain is always at work, how do you find time to recharge?

Instead of feeling overwhelmed, or stubbornly sticking to the status quo, try a different approach: What would Jack Dorsey do?

The 80-hour workweek

Jack Dorsey is co-founder of two rapidly growing tech startups: micro-blogging platform Twitter, and mobile payment service Square. According to Forbes, he has a net worth of $650 million. He works 80 hours every week, putting in full eight-hour days at each company — but Saturdays are his day off.

In an interview with CNN Money, Dorsey credits discipline and a pre-set schedule for keeping him focused. “There’s interruptions all the time, but I can quickly deal with an interruption and know ‘it’s Tuesday, I have product meetings, I have to focus on product stuff,'” he said. “It sets a good cadence for the company.”

Making time for you

Okay, you may not have $650 million at your disposal to help you tackle your workload, although you do have options. But the same tools Dorsey credits for his success are just as available to you: Planning, discipline and focus.

Planning

There is no doubt that taking on too much work — or failing to realize just how overcommitted you are — leaves you fewer options for personal time. The solution is planning: How you manage your time, and how you manage the tasks you need to finish during working hours.

As a starting point, you may find it helpful to decide when you will not work. Looking at a general weekly calendar (example), mark off time when you absolutely cannot work: For example, you may sleep until 8 a.m., have classes a few times a week, or recognize the need to take one day off every week. Block this time off on your calendar; the time you have left is the time you have available for actually doing work.

There are many different ways to actually manage the tasks you need to do:

You could follow Dorsey’s example and set specific themes for every day of the week, or split each day in two — half of your work hours committed to one project, half on another.

The important part is to have a plan in place before your day is derailed by interruptions.

Discipline

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”
-Jim Rohn, entrepreneur and author

Having a plan only works if you stick to it. Setting aside two hours to work on a project accomplishes nothing if you spend one hour responding to unrelated emails. As Dorsey noted when talking to CNN, if you have a plan you can easily deal with interruptions and refocus on the plan you have committed to.

Another dose of reality: According to The Wall Street Journal, it is entirely possible that many of us are not as busy as we think. “What I thought was a 60-hour workweek wasn’t even close,” the article’s author, Laura Vanderkam, noted. “I spent long stretches of time lost on the Internet or puttering around the house, unsure exactly what I was doing.”

To get past this puttering, you need not only a plan to turn to, but also the discipline to keep yourself on task.

Focus

An article on Inc.com by entrepreneur Ilya Pozin suggests that you work in 60 to 90 minute intervals — then take a break. If you find it challenging to focus on just one thing for an entire hour, start with smaller chunks of time and use a timer; this is one of the ideas behind the “Pomodoro Technique,” another time management system that uses a kitchen timer to help chunk your projects into 25-minute segments.

With a commitment to planning, discipline and focus, you can create better boundaries between time spent working and time spent enjoying life — one of the true benefits to being in control of your own work schedule.

Do you have a problem separating work and play? What strategies have helped you set your own boundaries? Leave your advice in the comments section below.

“We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.”
Tom Peters, business author and speakerFast Company, 1997

Before Tom Peters published The Brand Called Youin Fast Company in 1997, branding seemed primarily the realm of big companies and celebrities.

It took a while to truly spread, but “personal branding” has become a buzzword that is regularly tossed around in numerous contexts, from social media and career development to small business marketing.

The question is: What does it mean, and how do you do it?

Chances are you have at least heard of personal branding; you may have read about it in the past, or even done exercises to help determine your own brand.

It is never too late to figure out what your personal brand is, but if you still need a place to start, now is a good time to give it some thought.

“Your personal brand is a promise to your clients… a promise of quality, consistency, competency, and reliability.”Jason Hartman, entrepreneur

At its most basic, your personal brand is how your market yourself to others. Think of job applications you have sent in the past: You may have called yourself motivated and adaptable, or said that you have an “eye for detail.” Think about your online profiles — how have you described yourself?

The words you choose to introduce yourself to other people help create a framework for your personal brand. Here is where it gets a little more complicated.

In many ways, your personal brand is not about you at all — it is defined by what other people think of you. In other words, it is defined by your reputation. If you say you deliver excellent client service, but your clients can never reach you and you regularly miss deadlines, your reputation and your brand will be out of sync.

Defining what you stand for

Social business expert Chris Brogan used a superhero to help explain personal branding. “Batman is defined by the goal to seek never-ending vengeance on criminals,” he writes. “That’s his promise. You’re a bad guy? It’s going to hurt. Batman is vengeance. And if someone else started being Batman, they’d pretty much have to own up to that promise, as well, or the brand would dilute.”

Start by asking yourself what you want to be known for — think of three nouns or adjectives that you feel describe who you are professionally.

One way to do this is to look at what you are already known for. “Most of us have little sense of our talents and strengths,” said author Marcus Buckingham in his book Now, Discover Your Strengths.

Look at feedback from past clients, or recommendations you have received in the past. Do you notice any themes in what has been written?

Ask your clients and colleagues. A quick email to clients, people you work with, or classmates asking for feedback can help — but it is important to get objective feedback, not just what people think you might want to hear.

Use an anonymous survey. If you think objective feedback might hard to get via email, there are tools available like 360° Reach – Personal Brand Assessment, an assessment tool that anonymously surveys your contacts for input.

Defining these core values and attributes is not easy, but investing time to understand yourself can have an impact on both your career and your personal life.

Have you already defined your personal brand? What personal branding resources have helped you through the process?

]]>Does your online profile captivate your potential clients and leave them wanting to know more? Or does it just leave them wanting?

In a recent article for Forbes, business consultant George Bradt said there are just three true job interview questions:

Can you do the job?Will you love the job?Can we tolerate working with you?

Particularly when it comes to online work, the responsibility for your first — and sometimes only — impression is often shouldered by your online profile. Does your profile hit all the right points?

Bradt observed that all job interview questions relate back to the same three themes: Your strengths, motivation, and fit for a particular position. If your written profile doesn’t at least touch on these topics, you may be missing a big opportunity to effectively introduce yourself — and move forward.

It is impossible to anticipate what qualities or skills any random person reading your profile might need. But what would your ideal client be looking for? Try to envision — or, even better, take time to research — the characteristics your ideal client would typically look for. Write your profile with them in mind.

Can you do the job?

Before you start writing, define your strengths and the type of work you’re looking for. Bradt noted that technical skills are important, but leadership and interpersonal skills matter, too.

Beyond your ability to do the job, what unique qualities can you bring to a position? You should keep your profile brief, but you may be able to choose particular words and phrases to make your profile more reflective of your unique approach.

One hard truth: Focusing on a particular skill set may lead to lost work. People looking for skills you are not promoting will continue looking for someone who can meet their needs. However, if you focus on the work you want to do — not just the work you can technically do — you are more likely to attract clients who need help with the projects you enjoy most.

Will you love the job?

Why do you do what you do? Business leaders increasingly recognize that people are motivated to work harder on projects they enjoy doing. Does your profile hint at the excitement you feel when faced with a new challenge? When trying to capture that excitement, ask yourself what inspires you to keep working instead of changing to a different career.

Can we tolerate working with you?

Working on a team always has benefits and challenges; the same is true when you are working remotely. While writing your profile, let your personality come through. Ask yourself: What sort of team member would your ideal client be looking for — strictly professional, business casual, playful, or even perhaps edgy?

Many different factors impact how a potential client will perceive your strengths, motivation and fit — and not all can be addressed through your profile. However, if you can start to answer these critical questions and provide an intriguing glimpse into who you are and what you can do to help someone’s business, you may just be able to edge out your competition.

Is anything missing from this list? What profiles have you come across that you felt were fantastic? Share your comments and examples in the comments section below!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/03/three-true-job-interview-questions-edits-to-online-profile/feed/3Building Your Business With A Referral Networkhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/building-your-business-with-a-referral-network/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/building-your-business-with-a-referral-network/#commentsTue, 28 Feb 2012 16:00:16 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=21592You know there are limits to what you can do on your own. Building a referral network is one way to support and grow your business.

You know there are limits to what you can do on your own: Having a referral network can help you extend your capacity. It is not something you create overnight, but chances are you have one already — even if you may not realize it. What are referrals, and how can you define your network?

A referral is when you connect someone you know to another resource for information or help — in this case, connecting your clients or peers to others within your network who have the skills they are looking for.

While referral networks can be formalized with finder’s fees or commissions, many referrals — just like word-of-mouth marketing — do not have money attached to them: The objective is to connect people to the service they need, whether you are the provider or someone else you trust. Choose the professionals in your referral network carefully so you can feel confident when sending people their way.

Create a network of professional connections

Who do you already have in your professional network? Your clients, classmates, colleagues from work, and people you have connected with through social networks are just a few examples. Networking can feel like a challenge, but you likely already have a lot of different connections.

Create a list of 10 different job types that would support your business. (Hint: Also include roles with skills similar to your own!)

Set a goal to connect with 10 people in each job type. This could be online or offline, but make a point of getting to know them, their particular skills, and the type of clients they prefer to work with.

When you find someone who may be interested in doing referral business with you, add them to your list!

How to give good referrals

Call it “good karma” if you like, but part of encouraging people within your network to send referrals your way is making an effort to give good referrals. Knowing your contacts well enough to send your own clients to them helps build relationships and is part of providing good customer service. Pamela Slim, business coach and author, explained in this post that there are a few key elements for good referrals:

Make sure you understand your client’s problem, and the skills or services they need.

Identify your own strengths, so you know what work you want to do and what you are good at.

Focus on doing the work you love and refer the rest to others.

Follow up on referrals you make — were both parties happy with the result? If not, find out why and fine-tune future referrals accordingly.

Finally, remember to acknowledge people who send you referrals with some form of thank-you recognition!

Do referrals bring your business a lot of work? What do you do to encourage them?

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/building-your-business-with-a-referral-network/feed/8oDesk Skill Tests: Show Employers What You Can Dohttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/odesk-skill-tests/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/odesk-skill-tests/#commentsMon, 13 Feb 2012 16:00:16 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=21002oDesk skill tests can help quantify your professional qualifications and set you apart from the competition.

]]>You know you are a rock star at PHP, or that you know the AP Style Guide inside and out. But it is a little more difficult for prospective employers to know this — so how do you prove your skills and set yourself apart from the competition?
A great portfolio is certainly a start, but leveraging oDesk skill tests can give you the advantage you need.

oDesk’s qualification tests are free evaluations that highlight the knowledge you have in your areas of expertise. They help qualify your abilities, and contractors who rank highest are recognized with Top 10% and Top 20% profile badges.

With approximately 40 questions on each test, these assessments are neither quick nor easy. But, as with positive feedback, earning good marks on a selection of qualification tests can be an important part of your oDesk marketing plan.

Getting started

Review the syllabus. Every test includes a syllabus — an outline of the knowledge to be tested – as well as rules for taking the test. Review the syllabus in advance so you know what to expect; if it indicates specific topics, brush up on these when preparing.

Review the test rules. Standard test rules indicate that you can only take tests within a specific duration of time, so make sure you set aside enough uninterrupted time before you begin. Take time to prepare. Taking time to study always reaps good results!

Focus

The value of oDesk qualification tests is that they reflect a standard measurement of your abilities; if you are a bookkeeper testing your understanding of accounting principles, you will be evaluated on the same criteria as others who have taken the test — regardless of any external factors.

Your test results should support the skills you promote on your profile and the material you highlight in your portfolio. Focus on the skills that are most relevant to the services you offer. With 344 different topics, you can be pretty specific about the expertise you want to showcase. For example, you could test your English to French translation skills — but if you are marketing your Java programming expertise it is best not to distract from your primary service.

Be selective

Because your test scores should help show you at your very best, only display your good marks on your profile. There is no benefit to stuffing your profile with test results if they do not support your areas of expertise or show you at your very best.

If you feel you can do better on a particular test, you can always elect not to display your results. Then take time to review the areas where you fell short; you will be able to retake the test in a month’s time.

We would love to hear from you — how have oDesk tests helped you win more contracts? Share your experiences in the comments section below!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/odesk-skill-tests/feed/1An Intro to Twitter Chats: Why You Should Follow Alonghttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/an-intro-to-twitter-chats-why-you-should-follow-along/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/an-intro-to-twitter-chats-why-you-should-follow-along/#commentsMon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:02 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=21052Twitter chats can help you discover new experts and thought leaders, learn from your peers, and build both your network and reputation.

]]>You no longer wonder why people use Twitter — you are a convert. You use it to stay in touch with friends, family members and business contacts. You follow a few professional resources — like @oDesk — and you try to share interesting information on a regular basis.

With the basics mastered, you can get even more from this fast-paced network by jumping into Twitter chats.

What are Twitter chats?

As a regular Twitter user, you have likely noticed what are called hashtags — keywords or meaningful abbreviations preceded by a “#” that somewhat serve as Twitter’s filing system. These hashtags can also serve as a flag to bring together people who share a common interest, using Twitter chats.

To get a Twitter chat started, a small group of users chooses a date, time and specific hashtag; by tagging tweets with the relevant hashtag, this group can then discuss their topic in real time — and others who see the hashtag can join in.

Online discussions are not a new idea; Twitter is not the only way to connect in real time, and if you want to limit your conversation to a few specific people it is not even the best option. But there are a growing number of niche chats on Twitter, and if you are not yet following one, you are missing out on a potentially significant information and networking resource.

Why you should follow along

The power of Twitter chats is not in sorting out your plans for an upcoming camping trip; they are generally focused on a subject that can be discussed publicly and may be of interest to others. Here are three reasons why you should find one related to your professional interests.

1. Find new experts and thought leaders.

When you go to work-related events, you are likely introduced to new people — not just the people at the event, but others who come up in conversation. For example, you may listen to a great speaker, or learn about a new book or blog post that is generating a lot of conversation. You may get into a great discussion with a seasoned professional who has decades of experience to share.

The same can happen in Twitter chats — except you do not have to leave your desk. For example, if you are trying to start a blog, you may want to follow #blogchat(Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET). Not only is it frequented by successful bloggers who are happy to share their own experiences, but you may learn about other resources by following the conversation.

2. Learn from your peers.

One key benefit to networking (in person or online) is learning from people who are in the same industry as you. What issues or trends have they noticed? How do they handle certain situations?

Sometimes, the only people who can truly understand the highs and lows of your business are those who do the same thing. For example, a recent #PMchat for project managers (Fridays at 12 p.m. ET) discussed whether there is value in pursuing a PMP designation from the Project Management Institute — something only others in the industry can reasonably weigh in on.

3. Build your network and reputation.

Contributing your own opinions to a Twitter chat does more than help you connect with your peers: It is an opportunity to showcase your own knowledge of a particular topic. Over time, this can help you be seen as more than a participant — as someone who adds value to the conversation.

And therein lies part of the key value of Twitter chats — they are not just a great source of information, but also a relevant way to build your brand and professional network, helping you find both partnerships and referrals.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/02/an-intro-to-twitter-chats-why-you-should-follow-along/feed/0Use Google Reader Like a Ninjahttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/use-google-reader-like-a-ninja/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/use-google-reader-like-a-ninja/#commentsWed, 25 Jan 2012 16:00:11 +0000https://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=20693How can you use Google Reader to stay on top of news and information? A few strategies and tools can make this RSS reader work for you.

]]>You need to be “in the know” – about your business, of course, but also about the latest industry news, small business trends, what your competitors are doing, and other events that may impact your income for better or for worse.

You set up Google Reader a while ago to monitor dozens of blogs and RSS feeds. Now you have thousands of unread articles and still no manageable way to process all that information. What can you do?

Use folders

Digital communications strategist Tod Maffin has a “Four Bucket System” that he uses to keep things in order, starting with folder organization. “Each folder name is preceded by a number so they sort in order of priority,” he wrote. “In this way, if I don’t have a tonne of time, I’ll just start at the top and be assured I’m getting what I need.”

Create a list of the different types of blogs you follow, then number them according to priority. What information do you need to know every day? What information can wait until the weekend – or longer? You may find it helpful to create a folder called “1- Top Priority” to contain all the blogs you must read daily.

Recommendation: Be selective about the blogs you include in your high-priority folders. If your top-priority folder routinely has hundreds of articles waiting to be read, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed again in the near future.

Focus on your goal

Prioritizing your blogs will not help a bit if you allow yourself to relax into an hour or two of reading every day. The truth is, you likely have just a few specific reasons for following all these blogs.

For example, your reasons may include:

Staying informed of current news and trends that might impact your business or clients.

Learning new strategies that will help your business succeed.

Getting inspiration for the creative work you do.

Whatever your goals, keep them in mind as you prepare to start reading. Non-profit communicator Debra Askanase wrote about how she uses her goals not just as a filter when reading, but also when occasionally cleaning up the list of blogs she’s following.

Recommendation: Try to skim just headlines and introductions to flag articles that are relevant to your goals. Ideally, save these articles to another service – Evernote and Instapaper are a couple of great tools for this – and read them separately. It is possible that you may miss something relevant, but that is still preferable to spending your time reading everything.

Take action

In his post, Tod Maffin describes the four buckets – act, share, save, and read later – that he is committed to acting on regularly. There is a new tool that can make taking action even easier, even automatically.

ifttt, “If This Then That”, is essentially a recipe book for creating online shortcuts. Launched in December 2010, this San Francisco-based start-up gives you the ability to mash various online tools together in whatever way is useful to you.

For example, with Google Reader you can use ifttt to automatically:

Save any posts you star to your Evernote or Instapaper account

Tweet any items you tag with the term “tweet”

Email any posts you star to a specified email address

There are hundreds of combinations already created, and if you are unable to find the one you want, you can always create your own.

Recommendation: Automate what you can, and commit yourself to the rest. For example, if you decide to save relevant articles to a reading application, make time every day to read through those articles. Otherwise you will just end up with an intimidating pile of curated information you will not want to read, either.

New information is so constantly available that it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Organization, goals and discipline can make the flow a lot more manageable.

How do you stay on top of your news and information? Share your favorite solutions in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/use-google-reader-like-a-ninja/feed/6Tax Time: Keep the Paperwork Under Controlhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/tax-time-keep-the-paperwork-under-control/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/tax-time-keep-the-paperwork-under-control/#commentsMon, 23 Jan 2012 16:00:15 +0000http://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=20604With tax time looming, here are some tools to help get last year's paperwork in order, and maybe make this fiscal year just a bit easier to manage.

]]>If you run your business as a “sole proprietorship,” your fiscal year ended on December 31 – which means the countdown is on until your date with the tax man. Are you ready?

Staying above the pile of paperwork is something a lot of freelancers struggle with, especially when it comes to tracking expenses during the year. Sound familiar? Here are some tools to help get last year’s documents in order, and maybe make this fiscal year just a bit easier to manage.

Mark off a business-only space. If you work from home, designating a certain room of your house as your office can allow you to deduct a portion of your home expenses, calculated by the size of the room as a percentage of the house’s total square footage. Keep in mind that the IRS requires the room to be used “exclusively and regularly” for business. You can refer to this IRS page for more information.

Create a paper trail. Whether it’s stacking your business receipts, filing every bill or tracking any medical expenses, make sure you have a record of anything you might be able to claim or deduct when it comes to tax time.

Consider professional help. If you have a hard time wrapping your mind around the numbers, consider getting professional help – for example, an accountant or tax preparation software. These resources will help you get your documentation right; especially if this is your first year as a freelancer, a professional can really help you make sense of everything.

Some of this advice is tried and true. But is there anything new that might make the paper trail seem a little less like a landslide?

Expense-tracking tools for the app-friendly freelancer

Shoeboxed: If you have a smartphone in your pocket and a random assortment of receipts in a box at home, Shoeboxed could be your new best friend. With their free app for Android or iOS – which does not require an account – recording expenses is as easy as taking a picture. And that box of receipts? For a fee, Shoeboxed will look after that for you, too – just mail in your documents using their prepaid envelopes, and they will scan and categorize them for you.

Receipt Bank: London-based Receipt Bank also offers to take that box of paper and turn it into something you and your accountant will love. Like Shoeboxed, Receipt Bank has a free app, but please note that this app does require an account.

Lemon: If you want a better way to manage your paper and electronic receipts, Lemon might be for you. This newer start-up will give you a Lemon.com email address; send electronic invoices to this address and they will be filed with receipts you have added using the mobile app. They will not enter your paper receipts for you, but the service is free – with premium options on the way – and you can run as many receipts as you want through the app.

One last piece of advice: Confirm how long you need to hold on to all these newly organized documents. For example, in Canada, small businesses need to hold onto records for a minimum of six years and obtain written permission to destroy records before that time is up.

There are new expense-tracking apps coming out all the time. Have you used any? Share your own advice in the comments section below.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/tax-time-keep-the-paperwork-under-control/feed/3Remote Meetings: Make A Good Impression Onlinehttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/remote-meetings-make-a-good-impression-online/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/remote-meetings-make-a-good-impression-online/#commentsTue, 17 Jan 2012 16:00:01 +0000http://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=20555Freelancers working remotely rely on technology to enable communication with clients. What steps should you take to make a good impression?

]]>Work 3.0 enables freelancers to work remotely, away from clients in another city, state or even country. As a result, while face-to-face conversations may not always be part of your working relationships, good communication is always essential — especially for “long-distance” working relationships.

Luckily, technology offers many options for meeting online. All you need to worry about? Making a good impression.

Before You Begin

Whether your meeting is on camera or audio only, there are a few things you should do before starting your call:

Check your tech. Give yourself at least five minutes ahead of time to make sure your microphone and/or video are working. Even if you have recently used the same program, things like software installations or power outages may require at least a reboot.

Be prepared. Add the person you are meeting with to your contact list in advance. Then, just as you would do before leaving the house for a meeting, make sure you have all the information you need so you do not have to disappear mid-call to look for something.

Dress for success. Being a freelancer offers a lot of flexibility, including the ability to roll out of bed and into your work day. But is this the best plan before a client meeting? In a post for GigaOM, Celine Roque suggests that dressing professionally can make a positive impact on your approach to work. Client meetings are one time when you want to be at your best.

Try to remove any distractions. Whether family members, the television or a noisy air conditioner are in the background, try to minimize distractions as much as possible. While isolating yourself isn’t always an option, try to find a quiet space away from other noises and activities.

Check in. If you are the one placing the call, be sure to ask your contact ahead of time (for example, in Skype’s chat feature) if it is still an okay time to talk — and whether the call should be with video or audio only. Beginning a video call when the other person is not prepared to be on camera can certainly start the conversation off on awkward footing.

Tips For Audio Calls

Smile! Even if the other person is not able to see you, smiling while you talk helps change your tone of voice so you sound friendlier — even more energetic.

Invest in a better microphone. Your laptop or camera may have a built-in mic, but often these mics are not good at filtering out background noise; this can make you more difficult to hear and understand. Some programs, like Skype, let you assess your sound quality using a test call. Depending on your operating system, most computers also have a recording program that you can use to hear what you sound like.

Tips For Video Calls

Preview your picture. By checking that your camera works, you can also check what people will see on camera. Make sure you are visible and in focus, and watch for anything that might be distracting or inappropriate and move it. To take this a step further, is there anything you might want to have visible? Awards you may have received or samples of your work might help set a nice background.

Try not to move around. If you move a lot while you speak, a spotty Internet connection could make you look jumpy and blurry.

What lessons have you learned about remote business meetings? Leave your advice in the comments section below!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/remote-meetings-make-a-good-impression-online/feed/5Top 5 Freelancing Posts from oDesk in 2011https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/top-5-freelancing-posts-from-odesk-in-2011/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/top-5-freelancing-posts-from-odesk-in-2011/#commentsTue, 10 Jan 2012 16:00:54 +0000http://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=20348Judging by the most-viewed oDesk posts for freelancers in 2011, oDesk's community members are keen to make a great first impression. Here are the top five posts.

]]>A wise person once said: You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Judging by the most popular posts for freelancers in 2011, oDesk community members are keen to put their best foot forward – a motivated group of professionals looking to make their business even better. What freelance blog posts earned the most attention last year?

1. How to Write a Cover LetterYour cover letter may be your only chance to convince a client that you are the perfect fit for their project. Every letter is an opportunity to brand yourself and your work – whether you have written one or 100 cover letters, this solid advice is worth a review.

2. 5 Techniques to Double Your Freelance RatesAdvice to “raise your rates” is pretty common; many freelancers undercharge for their services and expertise. If you have read the advice but still have problems getting to the next level, the problem might be the way you interact with your clients; these techniques may give you a boost.

3. Top 100 Freelance BlogsOne of the best ways to learn how to excel as a freelancer is to learn from people with more experience. While this list from 2009 may need a few updates, it offers a treasure trove of information for the new freelancer or the professional looking for advice from peers.

5. 5 Profile Mistakes Keeping You UnemployedIf you have keywords covered but are still having trouble landing projects, maybe you need to take a different approach. Do you think of your services as a product? Does your profile focus on you, or what you can do for your client? Any one of these mistakes could slow you down; have a careful look and keep your profile problem-free.

What freelance posts made a difference for you in 2011? Is there any advice that really stayed with you? Please share your favorites in the comments section below!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/top-5-freelancing-posts-from-odesk-in-2011/feed/7Top 5 Small Business Posts from oDesk in 2011https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/top-5-small-business-posts-from-odesk-in-2011/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/top-5-small-business-posts-from-odesk-in-2011/#commentsMon, 09 Jan 2012 16:00:42 +0000http://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=20307Our most-viewed business posts in 2011 indicate that the oDesk small business community is a tech-savvy group with its sights set on growth, looking for inspiration from industry leaders.

]]>If oDesk’s most-visited blog posts are any indication, small business owners in the oDesk community are a tech-savvy group with their sights set on growth, looking for inspiration from industry leaders. Here are the top small business posts from the oDesk blog last year.

1. Top 25 Project Management BlogsEffective management of projects and teams is always a relevant issue; even though this post was written in 2009, the emergence of Work 3.0 has made it increasingly top-of-mind. The list even includes a handful of links for fans of agile techniques.

2. 3 Steps to a Killer Job Posting2011 wrapped up with 1.5 million contractors on oDesk and more than a million jobs posted during the year. When you need someone for a project, this post offers specific steps to help you connect with ideal candidates and find the right person to support your work.

4 and 5. Hire a Better Online Team in Less Time – Part I and Part IIThis two-part series covers everything from an efficient hiring process – so you can avoid wasting time – to detailed interview suggestions. If you plan to expand your team this year, this post is an excellent place to start.

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2012/01/top-5-small-business-posts-from-odesk-in-2011/feed/0Are You Taking These Easy Backup Steps to Protect Your Work?https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/12/are-you-taking-these-steps-to-save-time-and-effort/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/12/are-you-taking-these-steps-to-save-time-and-effort/#commentsMon, 26 Dec 2011 16:00:53 +0000http://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=20045Technology failures always happen at the most inconvenient times. Here are a few proactive steps you can take to help you safeguard your files and your time.

]]>You have just put the finishing touches on a big project. You feel great – until the moment your computer tells you that your hard drive is about to fail.

It is moments like this when we remember that we should have had a plan in place – but forgot. Chances are you have been in this situation once or twice. Whatever your unpredictable technology-related issue, one thing seems certain: These problems always come up at the most inconvenient times.

It costs extra effort and stress to recreate work you have lost – especially if your deadline is looming – plus you have other projects to tackle. Here are a few proactive steps you can take to help you safeguard your files and your time.

Create a framework so you can fill in the blanks

While having a plan for every project will not always save you, it can still save time if the worst happens, because at least you have a framework to help you recreate your work. If you don’t already do this, try to make a habit of sketching a rough outline of your project ahead of time.

Get to know your autosave and version options

Automatic backup functions vary from program to program so there is no easy “how-to” guide for this. However, for the programs you use most frequently, check the help files or do an Internet search to check for autosave or version functionality. You may be able to adjust the frequency of these backups by adjusting the settings.

Old technology can still help

Your external hard drive and stack of blank DVDs may be collecting dust in the corner, but sometimes old tech offers a certain degree of comfort.

If you use Windows 7, for example, you can schedule a weekly automatic backup to copy your main drive to an external disk. This is a particularly good option if your Internet connection is slow or less than reliable – and large external drives are increasingly affordable.

Do you have any creative solutions for recovering lost work? How do you safeguard your important files? Share your advice in the comments section!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/12/are-you-taking-these-steps-to-save-time-and-effort/feed/3What To Do Now To Kick-Start Your Productivity in Januaryhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/12/what-to-do-now-to-kickstar-things-in-january/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/12/what-to-do-now-to-kickstar-things-in-january/#commentsTue, 20 Dec 2011 16:00:03 +0000http://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=19814What can you do now that will give you an easier start in January? Avoid starting the new year in a rut by creating a plan for your first week back.

Start your to-do list now

There is a reason why lists are so popular; they are easy to create and a great way to keep yourself focused.

If you are busy getting big pieces of work done before the end of the year, chances are you have smaller or less time-sensitive items that you are putting to the side – administrative tasks, feedback, or client projects with deadlines in the future.

Start keeping a list of things to do when you get back, like reminders to:

Ensure any out-of-office messages are changed or turned off

Leave feedback for any clients you have just finished working with

Update your oDesk portfolio to showcase a great project you finished in December

Even the little things matter: You might find that simple tasks are an easy way to slide back into your regular work rhythm.

Clean up your email

If you use Gmail or Google Apps to manage your email, the Email Game from Baydin can make cleaning messages out of your inbox a lot more fun. Working in batches of 10, 30, 50 or 100 emails at a time, the Email Game forces you to make a quick decision about each message with a countdown timer. You get points for being fast – and if you do a few rounds, you can compete with your previous scores.

For some people, an empty inbox may still seem out of reach, but this is a fun way to make it a little less daunting to look at.

Break your goals into bite-sized pieces

You have lofty goals for the next year – do you know how you are going to achieve them? Zoom in on what you want and think about what your very first step might be.

For example, if your goal is to double your income next year, you might break it into a few parts:

Attract new clients

Increase your rates

Work more hours

Before you start applying for more jobs and before you bump your rate up, you will want to do one thing: make sure you have a great, up-to-date oDesk portfolio. Your very first step could be to look at the projects you did last year and decide which represent your best work so you can include them in your portfolio.

Updating your portfolio will likely only take a few hours in one afternoon; schedule the time for early January and you will already be one step closer to your goal.

Create a social media content calendar

This year, you finally started promoting yourself through social media: You update your blog regularly and you are pretty active on Twitter. But how many times have you sat in front of your computer wondering what to say?

A social media calendar can make this a lot easier. Make it as detailed as you like; the idea is to pick a theme for a period of time, like a month – or even a week. For example, if you are a designer, you might kick off January by sharing a blog post or series of tweets about your favorite fonts.

What is the first thing you do when you get back to work after a few days off? Add your tips in the comments section!

]]>https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/12/what-to-do-now-to-kickstar-things-in-january/feed/2Planning For a Stress-Free Holiday From Workhttps://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/11/planning-for-a-stress-free-holiday-from-work/
https://www.odesk.com/blog/2011/11/planning-for-a-stress-free-holiday-from-work/#commentsWed, 30 Nov 2011 16:00:13 +0000http://www.odesk.com/blog/?p=18842Whatever your plans are for December, chances are you will need to schedule them around some vacation time – whether your own or someone else’s. Here are some tips that will help keep your vacation as work-free and stress-free as possible.

]]>Whatever your plans are for the next month, chances are you will need to schedule them around some vacation time – whether your own or someone else’s.

If you are expecting to take a break, what can you do now to make your time away from work – and your return – as stress-free as possible? Here are five helpful strategies.

1. Review your deadlines and milestones

Even if you plan to work all month, your clients may not. Review your current projects as well as upcoming deadlines and milestones. If you have any deadlines scheduled for later in December, consider moving them up or bumping them to January. Make sure to check with your clients about their own timelines!

Why does this matter? You deserve a break and so do your clients. Avoid the frustration of last-minute changes – or worse, missed deadlines – by negotiating any adjustments now.

2. Connect with people you have worked with – and say “thank you”

Even if you do not currently have any ongoing projects with certain colleagues, this is a great opportunity to connect with people you have worked with in the past – not just clients but also co-workers and sub-contractors. Let them know whether you are available over the holidays and thank them for their business or support over the past year.

Why does this matter? It is easy to fall out of touch with people you have enjoyed working with once a project wraps up. This is a great opportunity to send a gentle reminder that you are still here and in business – but more importantly, a lot of other people will not bother. That makes this an easy activity that can help you stand out, and also allows you to genuinely thank people who have helped you succeed.

3. Set an out-of-office message

Even with good planning and communication, you will likely still get emails while you are on vacation. Did you know that a lot of email programs allow you to create an out-of-office autoreply?

For example, if you use Gmail:

Find “Mail Settings” under the “Options” icon in the upper-right corner.

On the “General” tab, near the bottom of the page, you will find a section called “Out of Office Autoreply.”

Set the start and end dates for your autoreply and write a message that tells people you are on vacation, as well as when they might expect to receive a response.

Make sure you click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page!

If you are concerned about an ongoing interview on oDesk, here is a tip from the community about adjusting your profile.

Why does this matter? If someone tries to contact you during your time off, this automatic message will let them know that you are away – not simply ignoring them – and makes a commitment that you will be in touch upon your return.

4. Make a to-do list for your first week back at work

Before you leave for your time off, make a list of the priorities you need to tackle when you get back. You may want to put this list together over a few days, just to make sure you don’t miss anything as you are wrapping up. (Hint: One of the top items on your list should be replying to any emails you missed while you were away!)

Why does this matter? Whether you plan to take a few days off or a few weeks, you should give your brain a chance to think about other things – like your family and friends. Knowing that you have already planned what you need to do when you get back will help you leave work behind and focus on having fun.

5. Actually take a break

Many of us are so wired with smartphones, laptops and tablets that checking in on work is literally just as easy as playing a round of Angry Birds. But if you cannot disconnect yourself from work, you will not enjoy much of a break – and you will rob yourself of an opportunity to relax and recharge.

Why does this matter? Not only do you deserve a break, you need one! If your life usually moves at a hectic pace, slowing down will give your mind and body a chance to recover so you will be ready to charge ahead in the new year. If you need more proof, read this post about why you need weekends: It is good for you and your business.

What tasks do you do before you take time off? Please share your advice in the comments section!